Mansfield Borough Headwater Recharge Restoration for Flood Resiliency

Larson Design Group (LDG) provided environmental concept design, wetland delineation, grant administration, and project management for a headwater restoration project supporting flood resiliency in Mansfield Borough, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. LDG helped coordinate the successful application for a $350,000 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener grant, supplemented by more than $83,000 in partner contributions.

The project addressed failing stormwater infrastructure and restored opportunities for water to slow, infiltrate, and recharge groundwater before reaching downstream areas. Completed in phases, the work began with wetland determinations to inform restoration planning, followed by mechanical removal of invasive species across more than 50 acres.

Using LDG’s environmental concept design, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed final design and construction of wetland, stream restoration, and recharge features. The improvements created 18 wetland complexes totaling more than five acres of wetland habitat. Approximately 2,500 native trees and shrubs and five acres of native pollinator meadow were established to stabilize the landscape and enhance habitat.

The project brought together Mansfield Borough, private landowners, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tioga County Conservation District, Keystone 10 Million Trees, Commonwealth University’s Mansfield campus, and LDG. LDG employees also joined community partners in planting native trees and shrubs. The completed restoration supports the Borough’s flood-mitigation goals while improving the headwater landscape’s ability to manage stormwater and sustain native ecosystems.