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Green Infrastructure Brings Cleaner Water and New Habitat to Harness Creek
An outdated stormwater pond in the Harness Creek Overlook community has a new purpose: filtering runoff, providing wetland habitat, and helping cleaner, cooler water flow toward Harness Creek and the South River.
On October 2, Arundel Rivers Federation joined community members and project partners for a green ribbon cutting to mark the completion of this nearly $465,000 restoration project. Following the ceremony, volunteers planted additional native plants, helping bring years of planning and collaboration to life.
A Neighborhood Stormwater Pond, Transformed
Stormwater ponds play an important role in managing runoff from surrounding neighborhoods, but aging infrastructure can lose its effectiveness. At Harness Creek Overlook, the project team restored the pond’s treatment capacity and transformed it into a wetland complex with a controlled downstream flow.
A planted wetland bench around the pond’s edges provides valuable marsh habitat and a vegetative buffer. A Step Pool Stormwater Conveyance—a series of pools and steps slows and manages water as it moves downstream toward Harness Creek and eventually, the South River. Together, these green infrastructure features help filter stormwater and support wildlife while protecting the waterways that connect this neighborhood to the South River.
Built Through Partnership
This transformation reflects years of work by the Harness Creek Overlook community, Arundel Rivers Federation, and partners committed to healthier waterways. Funding and project partners include the State of Maryland through a Legislative Bond sponsored by Delegate Dana Jones, the City of Annapolis, Chesapeake Bay Trust, BayLand Consultants & Designers, Inc., and Meadville Land Service.
The green ribbon cutting offered an opportunity to recognize those contributions and see the results firsthand. Community members then rolled up their sleeves to add native plants to the restored site, continuing their investment in its future.
Projects like this show how improvements within a neighborhood can make a difference downstream. By restoring the systems that manage stormwater, we are building healthier habitats and a cleaner future for Harness Creek and the South River.
