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About the Project
Alluvial Decoder is a site-specific education installation about the floodplain at Crabtree Creek near the greenway trail on Glenwood Avenue and Crabtree Valley Avenue.
Meaning of the Project Name
Alluvium is the sediment left in the areas around a water source after a flood. This is an essential part of the floodplain.
Decoder references the fact that the project helps people understand more about the floodplain. You can see just how high creek water gets during tropical storms and hurricanes that reached Raleigh throughout the years.
Importance of Floodplain Education
Heavy rain from major storms, like the ones shown in this educational installation, can cause water in creeks to rise quickly. When this happens, stormwater flows from the creek to nearby land, giving the rain a place to go. This flooding cannot be prevented and typically impacts the area's greenway trails, roads, and buildings. Being aware of flooding and staying safe during a storm is very important.
However, the floodplain also helps reduce flooding. The plants and soils in the floodplain help slow down and soak up some of the water, which leads to less severe impacts on the community and the environment downstream. Learn more about floodplains.
You'll see these signs along the greenway trail while we grow the meadow.
Meadow
We transformed the area along Crabtree Creek near the greenway trail on Glenwood Avenue and Crabtree Valley Avenue into a meadow. We keep the grass long, and then mow and overseed the meadow each spring.
Mural
A mural under the bridge displays the name of storms that have caused flooding in Raleigh. The names are Agnes, Fran, Eta, Hanna, Alberto, Kyle, Matthew, Danny, and Floyd.
Storm Markers
A series of markers represent several historic floodwater heights. A key under the bridge reveals the names and dates of the storms represented.
Designer Biography
A Gang of Three
A Gang of Three is a team of designers focused on creating dynamic, educational interventions that reveal the living history of sites in tangible, meaningful ways. Lincoln Hancock is a Raleigh-based installation artist and graphic designer. William Dodge is a Raleigh-based designer and researcher with strengths in exhibit design, architecture, planning, and urban design. Will Belcher is an internationally award-winning Philadelphia-based landscape architect, urban designer, and place-maker. Together, they work to illuminate the human dimension of experience and the power of public space, bringing new meaning into the urban landscape.
