The conceptual design of Fleming Park in Turner Station, MD developed by Mahan Rykiel Associates through the collaborative Design with Dredge program (Maryland Port Administration, MES, Mahan Rykiel Associates, Cornell University, and Anchor QEA) aims to innovatively reuse and beneficially use dredged material from the Baltimore Harbor to support public health, habitat restoration, coastal resiliency, and environmental justice. To achieve these goals, urban thin layer placement is proposed to cap polluted aquatic substrate, restore marsh habitat, and thicken the shoreline to protect against storm surge and sea level rise. On-land application of dredged material is proposed for use as fill in gently sloping landforms that will serve as a dynamic playscape for children of the historically African American community. In both innovative reuse and beneficial use applications, a total of ~10,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be repurposed as a valuable civic resource. Mitigation credits including but not limited to TMDL, Critical Area, and afforestation could be approved for each of the landscape features in the park, providing additional co-benefits and economic incentives for public and private stakeholders of the Fleming Park project.
