Bush Brothers Property Stream Mitigation

Owner

Bush Brothers & Company

Location

Jefferson County, TN

Client

Tennessee Department of Transportation

CEC Services

  • Ecosystem Restoration
  • Dam Removal
  • Site Grading/Earthwork Analysis
  • Erosion & Sediment Control/NPDES Permitting
  • Aquatic & Terrestrial Habitat Surveys
  • CWA §404/401 Permitting
  • Macroinvertebrate Survey
  • Habitat Surveys
  • Stream Mitigation Design
  • Wetland & Waters Delineations
  • Stream Assessment & Restoration
  • Bathymetric Surveys
  • Topographic Surveys
  • Boundary Retracement Surveys
  • Construction Observation

Owner Objective

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) was required to perform compensatory stream mitigation to offset unavoidable impacts to streams associated with the construction of SR-35 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. A permittee-responsible mitigation approach was selected due to the lack of available mitigation credits from other sources. Two separate sites were assessed by CEC on the Bush Brothers & Company Property in Chestnut Hill, Jefferson County, Tennessee.

CEC Approach

CEC was tasked with collecting existing conditions and reference data, designing the proposed mitigation approach, authoring the final mitigation plan, drafting ROW and final construction plans, and authoring the SWPPP. CEC produced the design and documentation required to obtain coverage under necessary permits including §404 and §401 of CWA, an ARAP, and a CGP.

The final natural stream design involved new offline channel using referenced geomorphic hydraulic geometry to allow for a naturally self-adjusting stream. The design promotes stability and sediment transport, making use of in-stream structures, where appropriate, for grade control and habitat enhancement. The mitigation approach also includes two dam removals draining existing ponds at the Hall Branch site in order to restore aquatic and riparian habitat. In all, approximately 5,017 feet of stream was restored resulting in the creation of approximately 3,724.6 mitigation credits. The work orders for this project total approximately $287,000.

Construction of the Hall Branch site began in June 2018. The photos below indicate the in progress condition of the Hall Branch site (left) and during construction (right). Permit numbers for this project are as follows: §404 LRN-2007-02348; ARAP #NRS17.039; CGP #TNR191679.