A new chapter is being written in the history of Lynchburg’s beloved Blackwater Creek. Its future is taking shape – literally – in the lakebed of the former College Lake, giving a glimpse of what it may have looked like before the dam was built.

With the removal of College Lake Dam completed in May 2024 and the Blackwater Creek flowing freely again for the first time in 90 years, the focus of the dam removal project has shifted to restoration of the stream and wetlands to create a new, thriving ecosystem.

Lynchburg Water Resources is contracting with WC English Construction and Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) on the stream and wetland restoration, which is scheduled to be completed in July 2025. AECOM, an environmental engineering firm, is on site to perform full-time construction observation and inspection.

“The goals for this project were to create an ecosystem that blended both upstream and downstream together. So that one day, as this site matures, it will seem that there wasn’t a lake here at all,” said Erin Hawkins, Water Quality Manager for Lynchburg Water Resources. “The native plantings and creation of wetlands are being done in a way that mimics that of a natural system.”

The work in this phase includes:

• Building a new stream channel for Blackwater Creek through the existing lakebed

• Stabilizing the floodplain area

• Creating new wetlands

• Removing and managing legacy sediment in the lakebed

• Stabilizing the former Lakeside Drive bridge as a future overlook

Restoration work has been completed at the upstream section of the former lake and is working its way toward the former dam site. Along the way, RES is using bioengineering bank stabilization techniques as it builds the new stream channel for the Blackwater Creek. These techniques – including installation of toewood, erosion control practices, and placement of gravel and boulders in the stream bed – will protect the stream banks from erosion and create essential shelter and habitat for fish, insects, and other aquatic life. (See the graphic above for an explanation of these techniques).

The restoration also includes the creation of new wetlands in the former lakebed. Native plantings, including wetland grasses, live stakes, trees, and vegetation will be planted throughout the project to stabilize the area and provide a healthy new habitat for local wildlife.

Once LWR’s restoration project is complete, the University of Lynchburg will take over the long-term management and stewardship of the project area.