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Arrington Bridge Mitigation Bank Phase I & II sites were each granted a conservation easement, recorded around the restoration areas within the overall bank parcel. Located within the Neuse River Basin (below Falls Lake), stormwater runoff from the site was draining into an unnamed tributary of the Neuse River, classified as Class C and Nutrient Sensitive Waters. The bank’s purpose is to improve water quality within the Neuse River watershed by restoring hardwood forest in riparian areas and along with other conveyances. RES’ restoration activities include nearly 11 acres of riparian buffer restoration and 47 acres of nutrient offset. Credits derived from the Arrington Bridge sites provided mitigation for unavoidable impacts resulting from development activities.

The Arrington Bridge III wetland mitigation project is located on a 57.40 acre site three miles southwest of Goldsboro in western Wayne County, NC. One unnamed channelized drainage feature that traverses the site exhibited diminished habitat value as a result of past and on-going agricultural activities. RES identified the site as having potential to help meet the compensatory mitigation requirements for wetland impacts in hydrologic unit 03020201 of the Neuse River Basin.

This project involves the restoration and enhancement of 41.24 acres of wetlands that had been disturbed by historic mining, agricultural activities, and active cattle grazing. The project presents 29.37 acres of wetland restoration and 11.87 acres of wetland enhancement, generating 32.51 Wetland Mitigation Units (WMU’s). This mitigation project is the third of three phases.  Due to its location and improvements, the project provides numerous ecological and water quality benefits within the Neuse River Basin. While many of these benefits are limited to the project area, others, such as pollutant removal and improved aquatic and terrestrial habitat, have more far-reaching effects.

The objective for this restoration project was to restore a continuous bottomland wetland system and enhance the hydrology of existing wetlands. The design was based on reference conditions, USACE guidance (USACE, 2005), and criteria developed during this project to achieve success. Initial site design included the construction of three slough habitats to increase surface water storage and include patches of habitat more typical of reference Cypress-Gum Swamps. Through coordination with the Interagency Review Team (IRT) and the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (SJAFB), it was requested that the restoration design minimize standing water features that attract birds. Therefore, the slough features and Cypress-Gum Swamp wetlands have been removed from the design and the restoration plan is now exclusively bottomland hardwood forest. Additional project objectives include restoring native vegetation, ensuring hydraulic stability, and eradicating invasive species.

The Babb Creek Mitigation Bank, located in the Susquehanna River Watershed, provides critical stream and wetland mitigation credits for Pennsylvania State Water Plan Subbasin 09, along with other approved secondary service areas.

RES is leading the effort to implement a wide range of restoration and enhancement activities to maximize ecological uplift while minimizing disturbance and construction impacts on the surrounding environment. Through our work, RES will restore and establish self-sustaining, functional stream, wetland, and riparian areas. These restoration efforts will preserve essential habitats and contribute to the long-term health and sustainability of the region’s natural resources.

The Baileyton Mitigation Bank is located on 231 acres of a former golf course and agricultural pasture land. Due to previous land use practices, onsite streams have experienced severe degradation, loss of riparian buffers, and direct livestock access to stream channels. Streams chosen for restoration were characterized by bank erosion, loss of floodplain connection, and general instability caused by ongoing channel evolution.

RES is incorporating natural channel design and construction techniques to restore 2.3 miles of degraded and piped headwater intermittent and perennial streams and riparian habitat. The mitigation and restoration activities will generate 9,265 stream credits in the Nolichucky Watershed of Eastern Tennessee. The service areas will also include Holston, Lower French Broad, Nolichucky, Pigeon, South Fork Holston, Upper French Broad, and Watuaga watersheds.

The goal of this Bank was to re-establish, rehabilitate and enhance sustainable bottomland hardwood wetland ecosystems that exhibit natural species composition and to support wildlife habitat typical of healthy bottomland hardwood forests of the lower Mississippi River for compensatory mitigation purposes. The restoration, enhancement, and preservation of forested wetland ecosystems were accomplished through (1) the conversion of pasturelands underlain by hydric soils, and (2) the conversion of areas dominated by existing bottomland hardwood forests that were of relatively low-quality habitat resulting from altered surface hydrology and/or invasive species composition. Through these improvements, the Bank sustains wetland functions, values, and services in accordance with an approved plan. The functional benefit to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin includes an increase in the quantity and quality of forested wetland habitat for resident and migratory wildlife and the conversion of the Bank to a more natural ecosystem. The Bank also benefits the Bayou Manchac watershed through the retention of surface water runoff, streamflow maintenance, nutrient cycling, aquatic productivity, improved plant and wildlife habitat, and the reduction of non-point source pollution (nutrients and suspended solids) originating from agricultural and industrial areas in St. Gabriel, Louisiana.

The Bayou Paul Mitigation Bank restored a forested wetland ecosystem by rehabilitating and maintaining wetland functions, values, and services from land in agriculture. The added value to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin from this project includes increased forested wetland habitat for resident and migratory wildlife, decreased fragmentation of forested wetlands by linking this site with other conservation areas of the Spanish Lake/Bluff Swamp area, increased stormwater attenuation and water purification, increased transpiration within the hydrologic cycle, increased sequestration of carbon and other materials in the planted trees, and increased output of detritus to downstream fisheries resources. In the future, as more areas are developed within the drainage area (agriculturally, commercially and/or residentially), the Bayou Paul Mitigation Bank will provide a greater functional value to the reduction of flooding and point source pollution within the Amite River drainage and subsequently, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.

RES worked diligently to deliver a custom turkey solution within 90 days for this schedule-driven pipeline. This Permittee’s project spanned 320 miles of 24-inch pipeline, originating in Donaldsonville, LA and terminating in Hastings, TX. RES worked closely with Denbury’s trusted consultants to assess impacts to wetlands and convert this data to an offset requirement. RES located and acquired land commensurate with the restoration preferences of the lead regulatory agency. Finally, RES developed a mitigation plan and obtained regulatory approval within the client’s accelerated timeframe. RES executes ongoing maintenance and monitoring for the client corresponding with its regulatory agreements.

The Bank provides 278.1 acres of Bottomland Hardwoods to compensate for unavoidable wetland impacts for the Vermilion-Teche Basin.

The Bank provides 178.4 acres of bottomland hardwood, bald cypress-tupelo swamp, and fresh marsh to compensate for unavoidable wetland impacts for the Terrebonne Basin watershed area. The site has rehabilitated 104.7 ac of bald cypress-tupelo gum swamp, 53.7 ac of freshwater marsh and 18.2 ac of bottomland hardwood forest wetlands.

The Beaver Island Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project (HREP) is in Clinton County, Iowa, between the cities of Camanche and Clinton, in Pool 14 on Upper Mississippi River. The project area is comprised of interconnected backwaters, secondary channels, wetlands, and floodplain habitat. The complex of backwaters and wetlands has historically provided spawning, nursery, and overwintering habitat for fish and feeding and resting habitat for migratory water birds.

During the project, RES was focused on timber stand improvement such as tree releases, girdling, restoration of native floodplain forest vegetation and other interspersed tree plantings. The treatment areas are located on the downstream half of Beaver Island, which is in Navigation Pool 14 near Clinton, Iowa spanning from river mile 516 to 513. In total, this task order included approximately 123 acres of enhancement area.

As a sub to Red Bison, LLC, RES staff performed all Timber Stand Improvement work, including identification and marking of all trees to be cut or girdled and all free and geometric thinning to release desirable trees. RES staff also supported sourcing of plant material and transportation of plants from shore to the island, as well as conducted all plant layout and recorded GPS locations for approximately 4,000 containerized native trees and shrubs. RES also served as the contractor’s on-site quality control manager during TSI and planting activities.

Funding for this HREP was provided by The Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program. Authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, the UMRR is the first environmental restoration and monitoring program undertaken on a large river system in the United States.

Belle Isle State Park, located along the Rappahannock River, faced severe erosion behind its Visitor Center, with erosion rates reaching up to 7.6 feet per year. The project aimed to stabilize and protect approximately 1,000 linear feet of shoreline through the installation of rock structures and the creation of a tidal marsh.

RES designed and implemented eight offshore rock sill structures, which acted as breakwaters to reduce the wave energy eroding the shoreline. Behind these structures, RES established 0.6 acres of tidal marsh, densely planted with 12,000 tidal grass plugs. The vertical bank slopes were regraded to a gentler slope and planted with tidal scrub shrub plants and grasses. Additionally, upland areas behind the Visitor Center, impacted by construction, were planted with a meadow mix emphasizing species beneficial to pollinators. The entire project was designed to withstand large storm events and accommodate future sea level rise estimates.

The project began by removing invasive species and grading the land for the rock sill structures. After installing the rock sills, RES established the tidal marsh and planted both the vertical bank slopes and the upland areas. The project was completed in 2019.

This living shoreline approach effectively stabilized the shoreline, significantly reduced erosion, and provided additional ecological benefits. The project highlights the success of living shorelines as a sustainable and resilient alternative to traditional hard-armored shoreline stabilization methods.

Project Results

• Provides a more sustainable alternative to traditional hard-armored stabilization approaches
• Incorporates natural habitat elements for organisms
• Improved water quality functions Supplies shoreline protection
• Tidal marsh and planted areas serve as habitats for various wildlife species TMDL credits provided to client
• Educational opportunities for park visitors

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The goal of this 48.91 acre nutrient bank located in Culpeper County is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Rappahannock Watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site primarily consists of hay field. The land use conversion including Phase I and Phase II will generate 188.30 pounds of nitrogen reduction and 47.93 pounds of phosphorus reduction. Phase I has been completed on 10.26 acres of hay field generating 39.50 pounds of nitrogen and 10.05 pounds of phosphorus credits.

The 88-acre Best Slough Turnkey Site is in Yuba County and consists of preserved and restored vernal pool, swales, and Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat.

The Preserve is owned by Yuba-Sutter Disposal, Inc. as a buffer for the Ostrom Road Landfill and was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as mitigation for the Three River Levee Improvements Authority’s Feather River, Bear River, and Western Pacific Interceptor Canal Levee Improvement Projects.

Available Credit Types

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• Vernal pool fairy and tadpole shrimp preservation | KMZ
• Swainson’s hawk | KMZ

The BHP Terrebonne Biodiversity and Resiliency Projects employ cypress swamp plantings and marsh terrace creation – both proven ecological restoration approaches that improve the quality of lands and waters that support human, animal, and marine populations, especially along Louisiana’s fragile, eroding coastline.

These projects maintain the values of the ecosystem as larger-scale public projects in the state’s coastal master plan come online over time. Once completed, the projects will restore 125 acres of wetlands, with an estimated economic value of $1.2 million per year, 280 tons of carbon sequestered per year, and the elimination of up to 265 pounds of phosphorus and 10,600 lbs of nitrogen each year to improve water quality in those areas.

The projects will be the first two listed in America’s Wetland Conservation & Restoration Registry. This Registry is an inventory and reporting of private projects, consistent with Louisiana’s coastal master plan, that has been completed or planned and available for private sponsorship and funding.

As an integral partner in the project, RES is restoring the historic Cypress-Tupelo Swamp habitat through the planting of 30,000 restorative cypress trees, plus invasive species management, with the goal set on bringing the area back to its historic state. Additionally, RES designed, permitted, and is constructing a 25-acre marsh terrace with 5,000 cypress trees and 35,000 marsh grass plugs. Our team is committed to the project through five years of monitoring, mapping, and reporting along with annual drone flights to demonstrate project success.

The Big Bend Mitigation Bank (BBMB) historically existed as BLH wetlands connected hydrologically with adjacent surrounding wetlands of similar habitat type. Prior to the construction of artificial drains, surface water was able to transfer via sheet flow to and from the site and adjacent properties. The BBMB will re-establish (155.4 acres) and rehabilitate (117.5 acres) 272.9 acres of BLH habitat that was converted agricultural fields in the 1970s. The total bank encompasses 303.9 acres with the excess being hydric inclusion (7.0 acres), non-hydric inclusion (16.9 acres) and non-hydric buffer (6.9 acres). The collective goal of the Bank is to provide restored and rehabilitated wetland habitat that can be used to replace the exact function and value of wetlands that are adversely affected by projects within the basin, in accordance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

Big Cypress Mitigation Bank provides compensatory mitigation for wetland impacts in South Florida West Collier, East Collier, and Estero Bay Basins.

Our bank meets the standards for state and federal freshwater forested and herbaceous WRAP credits, permitted by both the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Our bank comprises two parallel properties spanning 2,600 acres north of the Big Cypress Preserve in southwest Hendry County.

We have expanded significant habitat, vital to some of Florida’s most threatened species. Additionally, our bank connects with the 720,000-acre Big Cypress Preserve near the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, providing Panther Habitat Units deemed regionally significant and crucial habitats for the Florida Panther. Each wetland credit includes 8.96 Panther Habitat Units. We also offer additional Panther Habitat Units competitively priced to provide an overall cost-effective mitigation solution.

Before becoming a mitigation bank, this property was an active-producing citrus grove. Our restoration and enhancement activities included, but were not limited to, the removal of all citrus, restoration of hydrology, seeding and planting of native freshwater vegetation and trees, and removal of exotic and nuisance vegetative species. All the land is preserved perpetually, ensuring that future generations can enjoy it.

This 65-acre site is within a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in the Green River Service Area, and the project is in support of the Kentucky Wetland and Stream In-Lieu-Fee (FILO) Program. The proposed restoration will re-establish two intermittent streams totaling 3,500 linear feet and re-establish 40.6 acres of bottomland hardwood forested wetland in Union County, Kentucky.

The Black Bayou Mitigation Bank includes four phases of restoration activities. Phase I restored 577 acres of agricultural land into Bottomland hardwood forest (BLH). Phase II restored and/or protected 115.1 acres of agricultural land into BLH, including 3.74 miles of stream channel. Phase III restored and/or protected 613.12 acres of agricultural land, including 5.26 acres of non-mitigation ponds. Phase IV restored 996 acres of bottomland hardwood restoration, 171 acres of wetland riparian buffer, and 32 acres of non-mitigation land for access roads and right-of-way (ROW).

As part of the permitted expansion and wetland mitigation of the Seneca Meadows Landfill, RES assisted with a stream re-location design and installed native seed and plants after the stream was relocated in 2.5 miles of new channel for Black Brook. The new stream channel was designed to flow around the largest landfill in the state.

Restoration of the stream was designed to emulate its historic flow and involved stabilizing both banks, primarily through the use of native vegetation and temporary erosion control measures. RES crews enhanced 350 acres of forested floodplain by removing invasive species and installing native seed and more than 55,000 plant plugs. More than 25 acres of erosion control mat was installed in seeded areas.

A section of the original channel was re-meandered as a tributary to Black Brook to function as a biofiltration stream and floodplain, capturing sediment from discharge flows from a landfill sediment basin.

RES continues to monitor the site’s hydrology, flora, and fauna and provides management for invasive species, erosion, and wildlife activity.

Land & Water Magazine: Black Brook Takes a Challenging New Route

RES provided stream restoration credits to Prince George’s County Maryland Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program. The CWP is a Public-Private Partnership formed to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water regulatory requirements. The projects delivered through this contract will be enrolled as part of Prince George’s County Bay TMDL Action Plan, with the associated nutrient reductions credited toward compliance with the Bay TMDL. The Black Swamp Creek Stream Restoration site restored 14,810 LF of degraded stream channel, providing 296.21 Equivalent Impervious acre Credits to the CWP / Prince George’s County.  

To execute this project, RES performed existing site assessments and geomorphic surveys. Using this data along with Natural Channel Design philosophies and published reference data, RES designed bankfull channels that provided stable banks and frequent floodplain connectivity. RES designed full realignments of the streams to achieve proper stream sequencing and stable channel geometry. Additionally, RES ensured no offsite floodplain rises and performed all necessary hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. RES acquired all state, federal, and local permits necessary to execute the proposed work.  

Upon completion of the design and permitting, RES’ construction staff used a team of subcontractors and in-house construction crews to execute the project. Construction began in September 2020 and was substantially complete by March 2021. During construction, RES’ design staff remained an integral part of the team, making frequent site visits, attending multiple site meetings, and ensuring the proper execution of the design.  

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The approximately 631-acre Blackburn Vernal Pool Conservation Bank consists of preserved vernal pool, vernal swale, and upland habitats. The Bank supports 23.56-acres of vernal pools, 16.67-acres vernal swales, 4.48-acres of reservoir, 1.24-acres of ephemeral drainage, 7.25-acres of intermittent drainage, and 577.55-acres of annual grassland.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides vernal pool preservation credits for unavoidable permitted impacts to vernal pool fairy shrimp within the Northwestern Sacramento Valley Vernal Pool Region as established by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The service area covers portions of Tehama, Shasta, Glenn, Butte, and Colusa Counties.

The Conservation Bank is preserved by a permanent conservation easement and management and monitoring is funded in perpetuity by an endowment.

Available Credits Types

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• Vernal pool fairy shrimp preservation | KMZ

The Blackjack Creek Washington State Department of Transportation SR-16 Offsite Mitigation was originally permitted in 2008 and is currently in the 12th year of monitoring. Since RES took ownership of the site in 2021, we have been completing regular monitoring and maintenance to steward the nearly 10 acres of wetland habitat. These wetlands today are dominated by a mixture of native and exotic vegetation, including Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) and Pacific willow (S. lucida spp. lasiandra) that provide rich habitat for beavers, migratory birds, and other wildlife. The presence of beavers on the property, who we like to think of as our partners in ecosystem engineering and design, has helped maintain natural hydrologic connectivity between Blackjack Creek and its surrounding wetlands and ensure the continued successful function of the mitigation project. RES ecologists conduct biological inspections, regular walking surveys, and collect drone-based imagery to ensure proper function and observe the natural succession of this beautiful and rugged wetland site.

A new chapter is being written for Blackwater Creek in Lynchburg, Virginia. Following the near failure of the College Lake Dam in 2018, and in compliance with Virginia Dam Safety regulations, the city of Lynchburg enlisted English Construction to dewater the lake and remove the dam. This significant effort is pivotal in transforming the College Lake area, which has deep ties to the local community. Since its construction in 1934, College Lake has been a beloved recreational area and outdoor laboratory for students and faculty at the University of Lynchburg.

RES is a key player in the winning team tasked with removing the dam and subsequently restoring the lakebed and approximately 5,500 linear feet of Blackwater Creek and its tributaries. In partnership with Lynchburg Water Resources (LWR), AECOM, and WC English Construction, RES is leading the ecological restoration efforts that will reshape the future of this historic landscape.

Using advanced bioengineering techniques, RES is building a new stream channel for Blackwater Creek and stabilizing the surrounding floodplain. Methods such as toewood installation, erosion control measures, and strategically placing gravel and boulders will protect the stream banks from erosion while fostering critical habitats for aquatic species. The project also includes the creation of new wetlands in the former lakebed, with over 35,000 native plants and hundreds of pounds of seed mix to be planted. These efforts will ensure long-term ecological stability while creating thriving habitats for local wildlife.

University of Lynchburg students have played an active role in this restoration, gaining hands-on experience in environmental studies. They’ve conducted water quality research, installed and monitored groundwater wells, and contributed to understanding the site’s evolving ecosystem.

The project, which is scheduled for completion in July 2025, will also establish new trails for public use, allowing the community to engage with the restored natural environment. Once LWR’s restoration work is complete, the University of Lynchburg will oversee the long-term stewardship of the site, ensuring that Blackwater Creek and its surrounding ecosystems are preserved for generations to come.

Learn More

• College Lake Dam Removal Project Moves Into Stream & Wetland Restoration Phase
• 🎬 College Lake Dam Removal: Remove. Restore. Reconnect.

To help the U.S. Bureau of Land Management understand the vulnerability to wildfire on 15 of its remote parcels in northeast Minnesota, RES collected aerial imagery and applied remote sensing and GIS techniques to generate high-resolution data and GIS models that estimated wildfire vulnerability.

Flights to collect high-resolution multispectral imagery were strategically timed in October to maximize the diversity of spectral reflection provided by fall colors, thus improving the automated classification of vegetation cover.

Geospatial specialists processed data into four spectral bands (red, green, blue, and near-infrared) stacked as one data layer to further refine land cover classification and assist with interpreting vegetation community types, such as deciduous forest, grassland, herbaceous wetland, etc.

Using the aerial imagery data, RES developed a GIS-based wildfire vulnerability model comprised of three interrelated parts: 1) potential fuel source for ignition (ignition potential model); 2) potential fuel load of vegetation cover; and 3) connectivity between ignition sources and fuel loads.

The final report to BLM provided a Wildfire Vulnerability Score for each parcel and its adjacent half-mile perimeter buffer.

To support the expansion of a Luck Stone project site, RES developed the Blue Heron Permittee-Responsible Mitigation or PRM.

After identifying the 175-acre mitigation site, the team has proposed to restore approximately 2,054 linear feet of stream through the design, construction, and preservation of a stable meandering system with appropriate width/depth ratio, substrate, and stable banks. Through installed features such as brush toes, constructed riffles, log and rock sills, and pools of varying depths, the restored stream will help to improve native wildlife habitat and populations.

An additional 4,738 linear feet of stream will be enhanced through mitigation activities that include bank grading and floodplain benching to enhance hydrologic regimes, installation of in-stream structures to increase hydrologic access to the floodplain, enhance bedforms, and improve habitat and stability, and the eradication and control of invasive vegetation species.

Over 10,000 linear feet of high-quality existing streams will be preserved through the establishment of a conservation easement.

The Bluebird Mitigation Bank aims to restore and enhance wetlands and streams, providing essential ecological benefits to Lorain County, OH, specifically in Columbia Station Township.

The project’s total area is approximately 450 acres and is expected to produce 181 wetland credits and 6,098 stream credits. The first credit release, expected this fall, will include 63 wetland credits and 610 stream credits.

For impacts to federally jurisdictional waters, the service area will encompass the entire Black-Rocky 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC 04110001) watershed in Ohio. For impacts to isolated Category 1 wetlands of any size or impacts to isolated Category 2 wetlands authorized under a level 1 review, the service area includes the entire Ohio portion of the Buffalo Regulatory Corps District (ORC §6111.022).

The Bluebird Mitigation Bank will re-establish 137 acres of wetlands, rehabilitate 18, and enhance and preserve 177 acres of wetlands. Additionally, the project will re-establish, enhance, and preserve 68 acres of uplands, restore 2,305 feet of stream, and rehabilitate and re-establish buffers along 8,266 feet of stream.

This ambitious project will significantly contribute to the region’s ecological health, providing critical habitats for wildlife and enhancing water quality in the service area.

Designed, restored, and managed at an ecosystem or landscape level, BRMB has become one of Florida’s most ecologically diverse banks, with a 2,695-acre ecosystem featuring 20 native plant communities (2,545 acres of 14 wetland types and 150 acres of 6 upland types). Sitting astride a “South Florida continental divide”, approximately 60% of the bank is part of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem/Watershed, and the rest of the bank is part of the St. Lucie River-Eastern Flatwoods/Indian River Lagoon Ecosystem/Watershed. BRMB’s Perpetual Adaptive Management Program, executed entirely in-house, features an industry-leading Fire Ecology Plan that ensures that all of the bank’s acreage experiences the numerous optimal benefits of prescribed burning while the Program’s Exotic Plant and Animal Control Plan, Climate Change Adaptive Response Plan, Listed Species Management Plan, and Native Wildlife Comprehensive Plan ensures that all of the bank’s ecosystem services and structures continue to prosper in perpetuity. BRMB is also home to one of the State’s most important Seminole Wars Historic Sites – Fort Van Swearingen – protected by the Bank’s Historic Preservation Plan.

Providing an abundant quantity of state and federal credits, along with listed species mitigation (Wood Stork, Caracara, and other species on a case-by-case basis) for development impacts in Broward, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties.

Explore the Bluefield Ranch website

RES was awarded the contract for the largest Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) ecological mitigation project to date, to restore an approximately 17,000-acre area as part of the North Texas Municipal Lake Project.

The environmental mitigation is one important component of the North Texas Municipal Lake Project, an approximately 16,500-acre reservoir being built in Fannin County to provide critical new water services to the 13 cities in the District. RES will provide complete stewardship of the mitigation site, from design and implementation through monitoring and maintenance over the next 20+ years, in accordance with the environmental permit for the lake project. The permit requires that NTMWD offset the unavoidable environmental impacts of building the lake by restoring and permanently protecting wetlands, forests, grasslands, and streams at the mitigation site.

The mitigation plan encompasses over 6,800 acres of wetland restoration and enhancement on the Riverby Ranch in Fannin and Lamar Counties, which will provide wildlife habitat and improve water quality in North Texas and Oklahoma. As part of the project, RES will restore or enhance over 369,000 linear feet (70 miles) of streams and plant more than five million trees. In addition, RES will restore or enhance over 3,000 acres of native grasslands and over 2,600 acres of forests. RES will maintain full-time onsite staff living on the Riverby Ranch property as well as provide full project management of design, construction, and monitoring of the site to ensure the restoration project is successful.

Related News

Bois d’Arc Lake Environmental Mitigation Restores Former Industrial Cattle Ranch to Thriving Forests and Wetlands – Bois D’Arc Lake (boisdarclake.org)

Dakota County needed to create new wetland areas and enhance existing wetland areas to receive offset credits for project impacts in the County. RES was brought in to serve as the ecological contractor for the project. We implemented a restoration and enhancement scope for the project and provided site preparation, prescribed burning, native seeding, dethatching, mowing, and herbicide application.

As a result of the project, areas previously dominated by cattails and other vegetation have been established with suppressed native species. Farmed areas that were seeded began showing signs of native wetland plant communities. RES has achieved or surpassed the performance metrics set for this project.

Established in 2011, the 327-acre site was previously deforested, converted to pasture, and used for grazing and hay production. RES restored the hydrology and ecological functions of the site to a contiguous, mature, hardwood flatwood conservation area.

The Bucher Mitigation project is in Durham County approximately seven miles northeast of Durham, NC in Neuse River HUC 03020201 within the Upper Falls Lake Watershed. This project provides a unique opportunity to protect 92.7 acres of riparian habitat (with the potential to protect an additional 5.9 acres in Phase II). The project will restore, enhance and preserve 17,628 linear feet of stream to generate stream credits and improve water quality, habitat, and hydrology within a water supply watershed. Water quality stressors currently affecting the Project streams include impoundment, historic forestry activities, floodplain disconnection and increasing impervious surfaces. Many of the project design goals and objectives will reduce future degradation of water quality and increases in nutrient inputs associated with anticipated suburban development. Construction began in May 2020.

The 121-acre Buena Creek Conservation Bank in San Diego County consists of Diegan coastal sage scrub and Diegan coastal sage/laurel sumac scrub habitat preserved for the coastal California gnatcatcher.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service approved the Bank for impacts to coastal California gnatcatcher and coastal sage scrub. The Service Area encompasses northern San Diego County and portions of the North County Multiple Species Conservation Program Plan, as depicted in the service area map.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Coastal California gnatcatcher and sage scrub | KMZ

The Buffalo Branch project is located within an agricultural watershed in Johnston County, North Carolina, approximately four miles North of Selma. The project involved the restoration and protection of streams in the Buffalo Creek watershed, with the overall goal of restoring and enhancing a stream/wetland complex located within the Neuse River Basin (below Falls Lake). Found within USGS HUC 03020201, a Targeted Local Watershed (TLW), the watershed is characterized by 44 percent agricultural land use area, and identified as a high priority watershed for projects that address flow restoration, reduction of impoundments, and buffer restoration. Before restoration and enhancement, the site consisted of cattle pastures and wooded areas, a mix of pines, hardwoods, and invasive species. Channels were severely degraded to a point where they no longer accessed their floodplain, lacked riparian buffers, allowed livestock access, and failed to support aquatic life. Our team’s work entailed the restoration of natural stream characteristics, such as stable cross sections, platform, and in-stream habitat. The floodplain areas were hydrologically reconnected to the channel to provide a natural exchange and storage during flooding events. In addition to the stream restoration, mitigation design preserved and enhanced the hydrology of six wetland seeps, two linear and four hillside, in the project area. Benefits of our efforts included stream banks erosion prevention and a reduction of in-stream sedimentation and nutrients, restoring the riparian buffer with native vegetation, ensuring hydraulic stability, and treating invasive species. The Buffalo Branch Stream Mitigation project is located in the southern portion of the TLW and includes streams that discharge into Buffalo Creek (303d listed). Due to its location and improvements, the project provided numerous ecological and water quality benefits within the TLW and Neuse River Basin.

Bunchs Creek Mitigation Bank will restore agricultural fields and cattle pasture to the bottomland hardwood and pine flatwood/savannah habitats that were on this 621-acre site in the 1920s. This bank will help RES clients in the Calcasieu Basin by providing cost-effective mitigation for their projects’ unavoidable wetland impacts.

The Henry County Stormwater Department selected RES to design and construct 600 linear feet of stream restoration within Butler’s Bridge Park. Henry County owns the 43-acre tract along Butler Bridge Road, which was acquired using funds from the Georgia General Assembly’s Greenspace Program. This property is deed-restricted for passive recreation and conservation use and has remained undeveloped since its purchase in 2004.

The project’s first phase is set to be funded by GOSP grant funds and includes the design and restoration of a perennial stream within the County-owned tract that discharges to the impaired South River. The South River tributary stream exhibits signs of erosion, entrenchment, loss of floodplain connectivity, and overgrown stream buffers with invasive species.

As the awarded contractor, RES will conduct Priority 1 stream restoration along 600 linear feet of the tributary stream. This work aims to restore a more natural sinuosity and elevation and reconnect the stream to the floodplain. As part of the stream restoration, RES will remove invasive plant species from stream buffers and replace them with native vegetation, returning the site to a more natural stream complex and promoting increased biodiversity and wildlife utilization.

2019 Award Winner – Best Restored Beaches from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA)

The Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration Project is part of a restoration and protection of beach and dune habitat through the direct placement of approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of sandy material from Ship Shoal (an offshore borrow source). The fill material was barged to a staging area near the mouth of West Belle Pass, then pumped via a pipeline for placement on the shoreline.

This project created and enhanced over 300 acres of beach and dune, reinforcing almost six miles of barrier headland habitat, while reducing the impacts of storm events on Port Fourchon and LA Highway 1, a vital hurricane evacuation route for Fourchon and Grand Isle. The restoration project also provided important habitat for nesting shorebirds as well as migratory birds. RES’ role on this project was to install native species on the recently formed project features. Our nursery sourced seed stock from the USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center and had state plant material certification with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Under the State’s direction, RES planted 75,970 four-inch containers of bitter panicum (Panicum amarum) and 30,338 one-gallon containers of sea oats (Uniola paniculate). Site conditions were loose sandy beach, where all mobilization was conducted via land-based routes.

Heat stress on plants was particularly a difficult obstacle for this project. Due to the heat, RES opted to perform multiple deliveries throughout the planting period bringing only enough plants that they could plant each day. Due to the adaptive planting techniques utilized by RES, this large-scale planting effort was very successful, and the mortality of the newly planted vegetation was drastically reduced.

The 160-acre Campbell Ranch Conservation Bank lies adjacent to the Jepson Prairie Reserve and north of the Dixon Pools National Landmark in Solano County. The federally listed vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) and vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi) are protected under a conservation easement over the bank’s beautiful mosaic of grassland, northern claypan vernal pools, alkali swales and depressions, and seasonal wetlands. Campbell Ranch was approved as a conservation bank by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2005 and provides preservation credits for vernal pool tadpole and fairy shrimp.

Stay tuned because RES is currently working with federal and state agencies to approve the adjacent land as a bank and bring new credits for the California tiger salamander, Northwestern Pond Turtle, Swainson’s hawk, and burrowing owl.

Available Credit Types

Download service area map and KMZ file below:

Vernal pool fairy and tadpole shrimp | KMZ

The Bank provides approximately 500 acres of bottomland hardwood and bald cypress-tupelo forest reestablishment to compensate for unavoidable wetland impacts in the Mermentau Basin.

The Cardinal Site presents an opportunity to restore 9,458 linear feet of stream and riparian corridor, generating a base amount of 9,458 Stream Mitigation Units (SMUs). The Site will provide numerous ecological and water quality benefits within the Yadkin River Basin. These benefits are not limited to the project area but have more far-reaching effects throughout the Yadkin River Basin. The Site will provide improvements to water quality, hydrologic function, and habitat. The project will address stressors identified in the watershed through nutrient removal, sediment removal, runoff filtration, and improved aquatic and terrestrial habitat.

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The Carolina Heelsplitter Conservation Bank was the first aquatic species conservation bank in the Southeast. Due to the presence of a viable population, a low percentage of impervious surface, its location near a focus area for other conservation activities, and the potential to protect large portions of the watershed to have a positive impact, the Flat Creek watershed was chosen for the bank and conservation site. By preserving upland and riparian buffers, the Carolina Heelsplitter Conservation Bank ensures the protection of the endangered Carolina Heelsplitter Mussels’ habitat. The Carolina Heelsplitter Conservation Bank is certified to provide offsets as required under Lancaster County Zoning Ordinance #963 and is approved by the USFWS to offset direct and indirect impacts to the Carolina Heelsplitter Mussel in all of North and South Carolina.

The Casey-King wetland mitigation site of the Neu-Con Umbrella Mitigation Bank is located approximately five miles east of Kinston, North Carolina in Lenoir County and consists of an 86.7-acre property, of which 43.1 acres is under a permanent conservation easement. The targeted wetland system for the restored site was a “non-riverine, wet hardwood forest” with a small component of “coastal plain, small stream swamp” as described by Schafale and Weakley (1990). Site work including vegetation planting was completed March 2002. The project contains 37.3 acres of wetland restoration.

RES is currently performing stream, wetland, riparian buffer, and floodplain restoration on an agricultural site which drains into the Tridelphia Reservoir and Patuxent River in Howard County, MD, resulting in 4,200 linear feet of stream, 62 acres of impervious surface credit, and numerous acres of wetlands. This project will not only improve water quality in Cattail Creek through the restoration practices on the stream and wetlands, but also through the installation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) designed to capture stormwater runoff from the dairy and row crop operations. Restoration will be implemented in a fashion that will have minimal effect on current farming practices. The project provides additional educational opportunities related to environmental stewardship and agricultural sustainability for the Howard Soil Conservation District (HSCD) as the landowner already participates regularly with HSCD.

The Cedar Grove bank parcel is located within the Upper Falls Lake watershed in the Neuse River Basin (HUC 03020201). Prior to restoration, the site operated as a public golf course, with stormwater runoff draining into the East Fork Eno River. The restoration of this site improved and protected water quality within the Falls Lake watershed of the Neuse River Basin, by providing mitigation for unavoidable impacts from development. The mitigation was composed of stream restoration, riparian buffer, and nutrient offsets. Within the conservation easement, existing riparian areas were restored and enhanced to generate both buffer and nutrient offset (nitrogen and phosphorus) credits. In addition, the dimension, pattern, and profile of existing perennial and intermittent stream channels located within the conservation easement were restored at the site. Of the 63-acre conservation easement, approximately 43.74 acres are dedicated to Neuse buffer restoration/enhancement and nutrient offset-related restoration. A total of 15.19 acres of riparian buffer credits were generated. The remaining acreage of the riparian restoration area provided nitrogen and phosphorus offset credits within the Upper Falls Lake watershed.

The Center Bayou Mitigation Bank restores and protects approximately 1261.2 acres of bottomland hardwood (BLH) habitat, including 996 acres of agricultural land restored, 91.9 acres of BLH preservation, 35.4 acres of upland buffers, and 137.9 acres of non-mitigation features comprised of inclusions, upland buffer, existing structures, access roads, open water, and rights-of-way. An addendum was added to include the establishment and maintenance of approximately 1,151.90 acres of bottomland hardwood wetland habitat.

The Cherry Ridge Mitigation Bank, nestled in Lewis County, West Virginia, within the West Fork Watershed, is vital in safeguarding and restoring the region’s natural ecosystems. This 259.22-acre site serves as a critical lifeline for stream and wetland conservation, offsetting unavoidable environmental impacts through large-scale ecological renewal. Once degraded valley-bottom streams and wetlands have been carefully restored to thriving habitats, high-gradient streams flourish through targeted enhancement and long-term preservation efforts.

With 56,206 feet of waterways restored, enhanced, and protected, the Cherry Ridge Mitigation Bank strengthens biodiversity, improves water quality, and stabilizes hydrological processes. This project not only rejuvenates aquatic ecosystems but ensures their resilience, fostering healthier habitats for wildlife and creating a sustainable environmental legacy for generations to come.

Located near the City of Chiefland, the Recipient Site expands adjacent gopher tortoise habitat from a local and regional level. The site offers approximately 390 spaces.

Delivering Species Offset Solutions

• RES delivers mitigation or conservation measures that are trusted by regulators and support long-term species recovery.
• With a fixed fee contract and single downpayment structure with buyer protections in place. Payment terms are handled with a single point of contact and a formal banking system.
• RES-authorized gopher tortoise agents and scientists provide transportation, markings, and burrow management that prioritizes the efficiency and health of the tortoise.

Conservation

Adaptation planning includes prescription burning for the ecological health of the habitat and herbicide treatments of nuisance and exotic vegetation as needed. The recipient site is home to longleaf pine sandhills, xeric oak hammocks, pine flatwood, and dry prairie with well-drained sandy soils.

The Chagrin River Watershed Partners (CRWP) and the City of Kirtland sought a qualified design-build contractor to complete the design and restoration construction of a streambank stabilization project along the East Branch Chagrin River. 

CRWP and the City applied for funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source grant program to procure design-build services, in order to develop an innovative Natural Channel Design and streambank bioengineering approach to address significant channel impairments along the project reach.  

While the impetus for the project was the protection of Wisner Road and adjacent infrastructure from rapid bank erosion, our restoration design is multi-faceted and will reestablish equilibrium conditions that efficiently transport water and sediment, reverse systemic erosion, provide enhanced ecological value, restored in-stream habitat, and fisheries, and improved site aesthetics. RES achieved this with a combination of strategically placed in-stream structures and innovative bioengineered bank treatments that replicate the natural stabilization processes in order to regain channel stability and restore the lost functions and values of a robust stream system.  

Our approach relied on rebuilding the toe of the slope, prior to grading eroded banks back to a stable angle of repose. Bank reinforcement included the application of composite revetment, a layered bioengineered bank treatment of rock, geotextile, soil, and live woody cuttings. RES constructed the composite revetment in combination with two rock riffles to strategically direct flow, narrow and deepen the existing channel, and establish stable meander geometry. These structures act as a catalyst for deep center channel development, provide a localized reduction in shear stress, and lead to the development of stable streambanks, pool/riffle habitat, diverse bedforms, and in-stream habitat. Along an adjacent meander bend, a flood bench was reconstructed, using a combination of materials salvaged on-site. These materials included on-site rock and riprap, stream gravel, large timber, and woody debris to create a natural toe-of-slope treatment, called toewood revetment. Toewood revetment mimics the natural recovery processes in riverine systems and provides prime resting and feeding habitats for Salmonids. RES designed, permitted, and constructed the project, completed in June of 2020. 

The former Rolling Hills Golf Course in Longwood, Seminole County, Florida, was closed for several years. In 2017, RES conducted a Phase I ESA and ecological surveys to assess environmental concerns and natural resources.

Seminole County proposed a grant exchange to the Florida Communities Trust (FCT) to finance the property acquisition, reallocating funds from another county property. In return, the county committed to cover all site remediation costs. A Phase II ESA identified arsenic and dieldrin in soil and groundwater, with soil concentrations exceeding cleanup targets in some areas. RES recommended an alternative approach, addressing seventeen specific areas using remedial techniques and engineering controls. RES submitted a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for approval. Exposure Unit 1 involved excavation, disposal, and backfilling with clean fill for a passive park. Exposure Unit 2 required excavation, backfilling with residential-level material, and implementing engineering and institutional controls for a more active park and playground.

RES aided Seminole County in procuring a contractor for soil remediation and provided oversight during implementation. RES and REGENESIS Remediation Services also implemented a groundwater RAP, utilizing anaerobic bioremediation and in situ chemical reduction. Groundwater monitoring and conditional site closure documentation are ongoing.

Nature of Work

• Phase I Site Assessment
• Phase II Site Assessment
• Site Remediation
• Groundwater Remediation
• Wetland Studies
• Threatened and Endangered Species Studies

RES (formerly E Sciences) was awarded a contract with the City of Miami Beach to conduct environmental/coastal engineering services. To date, our team has provided the City with multiple services, including the following:

• Groundwater Elevation Monitoring and Mapping Support, Sunset Harbor: Evaluated the soil storage capacity within this area to support the design and installation of a stormwater management system.
• Sea Level Rise Evaluation: Evaluated low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding and SLR within Miami Beach based on the assumption that groundwater levels were tidally influenced and flooding was influenced or exacerbated by tidal fluctuations.
•  Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans: Prepared SPCC Plans for 12 facilities throughout Miami Beach. These facilities included pump stations, fire stations, public works yard, Miami Beach Golf Club, and the Convention Center. 
• Green Waste Facility: This site was an undeveloped, bermed area previously used for solid waste management, and a portion of the area contained buried debris. Conducted environmental services to evaluate the top two feet of soil layer covering the berm. 
• Fleet Management Facility: Conducted groundwater and soil assessment activities at the active City’s fleet management facility to evaluate the presence of contamination associated with a historical petroleum discharge documented in 1992. 
• Street Tree Inventory: Conducted six phases of street tree inventories for the City of Miami Beach, with more than 49,000 trees inventoried using sub-meter accurate global positioning equipment. 
• Greenspace Canopy Assessment: Using i-Tree Canopy and i-Tree Vue, assessed the extent of the City’s urban forest canopy and the ecological services provided by the trees. 
• Miami Beach Convention Center Adjacent Properties Environmental Site Assessments: 
• Conducted a Phase I&II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) for land parcels adjacent to the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) to support intended redevelopment. 
• Proposed Miami Beach Convention Center Headquarter Hotel Assessment: Conducted a limited site assessment, including a soil and groundwater sampling, and confirmed the presence of localized soil arsenic impacts and nitrate concentrations above groundwater cleanup criteria at the site. 
• Carl Fisher Seawall State Permitting Support:  The Carl Fisher Clubhouse was constructed in 1916 and is the oldest public standing structure in Miami Beach. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a locally designated historic structure. As part of the restoration of the Clubhouse and to protect this historic resource, the City also needed to repair the seawall on Collins Canal, which was severely deteriorated. Mangroves had recruited to the area. RES performed a field assessment with the SFWMD, performed an impact evaluation and functional assessment of the mangroves, and acquired the Environmental Resource Permit from SFWMD. Permitting required coordination with the State Division of Historical Resources and reservation of saltwater mitigation credits from the Everglades Mitigation Bank.
• Mooring Field Feasibility Study: Guided the establishment of a managed mooring field in an unregulated anchorage area in Biscayne Bay and assisted the City through the regulatory permitting process. 
• Baywalk Benthic Resources Survey, Environmental Engineering Continuing Services: The City of Miami Beach is proposing to construct a Baywalk on Biscayne Bay from 10th Street to 12th Street, a length of approximately 1,000 linear feet. This is the first section of the Baywalk that is over the water that is being permitted. RES subcontracted coastal, structural and geotechnical engineering to complete the design. Several species of seagrass were present in the project area. Coral species and incidental observations of aquatic wildlife were also recorded. RES prepared an Environmental Summary Report and the environmental resource permit applications.
• Normandy Shores Golf Course Groundwater Monitoring: Engaged by the City of Miami Beach to implement the required groundwater monitoring based on the documented presence of arsenic impacts at the Normandy Shores Golf Course. 
• 10th Street Terminus Water Quality Sampling: Collected water quality samples and reviewed activities in the area to document if residual impacts from the alleged discharge existed in this area.
• Emergency Surface Water Bacteria Sampling: Collected surface water samples on an emergency basis to evaluate the presence of enterococci and fecal coliform resulting from sanitary sewer leaks. 

Lake of the Woods, located in Orlando, Florida, was a critical drainage point for a highly urbanized area covering 156 acres. Facing frequent flooding issues, especially after heavy rains, the area posed a significant flood risk to nearby properties and affected the accessibility of Orange Avenue.

The City of Orlando engaged RES to design, permit, and oversee a stormwater connection between Lake of the Woods and Al Coith Park. This project included an adjustable control structure, a second-generation baffle box, and a bioretention treatment swale in Al Coith Park to improve water quality and generate NPDES credits.

RES also played a role in public outreach, developing educational signs and coordinating with various city departments for park upgrades and tree protection. The project improved flood protection for Lake of The Woods and received approval from relevant agencies.

In addition to stormwater improvements, RES handled sanitary sewer and water main upgrades in the area, improving system efficiency.

The project was successfully completed in March 2023.

Nature of Work

• Water Quality Improvements
  • Stormwater connection between Lake of the Woods and Al Coith Park
  • Bioretention treatment swale system with bio-sorption activated media (BAM) for enhanced treatment
  • 2^nd Generation Baffle Box with a glass observation cover
• Utility Improvements
  • Sanitary Sewer and Water Main upgrades and improvements

RES was contracted to provide engineering services in support of the Clarksville Town Hall Stormwater Basins in Clark County, Indiana.  The project site includes two stormwater basins along the west and north sides of the site.

The Cline Run Mitigation Bank is located on 372.72 acres, on multiple parcels of land. The goal of this site is to restore hydrology, hydraulic and geomorphic functions to stream and riparian ecosystems within the site boundary, yielding 22,210 steam credits and 1.74 wetland credits.

Credits available

• Stream
• Riparian wetland
• Nutrient
• Buffer

RES conducted the environmental assessment work for the proposed development in the southwest portion of Immokalee Airport, Collier County, Florida. The project area encompassed approximately 23 acres and is located within the Airport Operations Planned Unit Development (AOPUD) District.

The environmental review process followed the Collier County Environmental Review Guidebook guidelines and included several key activities. These activities involved a thorough desktop review focusing on wetlands, wildlife (including listed species), and contamination assessments. Our team then integrated the data from the desktop review with the existing land cover data to create an initial list of potentially listed species on the site. Later, RES ecologists compared the list with the field conditions during a subsequent on-site inspection.

In summary, RES’s field inspection identified two gopher tortoises and 15 potentially active tortoise burrows within the proposed development boundary. We also noted one site with a medium-ranked contamination level, and no wetlands were found on-site.

This bank is the first wetland/stream mitigation bank in south-central Pennsylvania. Wetland and stream credits from this bank satisfy mitigation requirements in the PA State Waterplan Subbasin #7 (Lower Susquehanna Subbasin) including most of Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Dauphin, Cumberland counties, and portions of Chester, Perry, Franklin Berks, and Adams counties. This site will restore/rehabilitate/enhance 11,466 linear feet of stream channel and 1.63 acres of wetlands on a 51-acre site.

Established in 2017, the goal of Columbia Bottomlands Mitigation Bank is to provide appropriate compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to wetlands authorized by the USACE within the Brazos/Oyster Creek watershed and adjacent areas. The objectives of the Bank are to rehabilitate degraded functions to 8.04 acres of existing jurisdictional wetlands, re-establish and sustain wetland functions to 323.9 acres as bottomland hardwoods wetlands, and re-establish and sustain wetland functions to 21.6 acres as coastal prairie emergent wetlands.

The goal of the Comite Mitigation Bank was to re-establish, rehabilitate, and enhance the area as sustainable forested, hardwood, wetland ecosystems for compensatory mitigation purposes. The Bank increases the quality of the forested wetland habitat for resident and migratory wildlife and restores agricultural lands to a natural ecosystem. The Bank helps to reduce flooding and point source pollution within the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.

The project consisted of restoring two degraded intermittent stream channels in Community Center Park, a public park owned and operated by the City of St. Matthews in Jefferson County, KY. The main intermittent channel was approximately 1,800 feet long, while its unnamed intermittent tributary was approximately 700 feet long.

The Compass Point Mitigation site is located in Yadkin County, approximately 4.5 miles northeast of Boonville. The project presents 5,304 linear feet (LF) of stream restoration and enhancement generating cool stream mitigation Units (SMU) along three unnamed tributaries that drain directly to the Yadkin River within Cataloging Unit 03040101, 12-digit United States Geological Survey (USGS) HUC 030401011001, and North Carolina Department of Water Resources (NCDWR) sub-basin 03-07-02. The current State classification for the Yadkin River at this location is Class C (NCDWQ 2011).

The project’s total easement area is approximately 165 acres within the overall drainage area of 271 acres. Water quality stressors currently affecting the Project include livestock production, agricultural production, and lack of riparian buffer. Grazing livestock have historically had access to most stream reaches within the Project. The lack of riparian buffer vegetation, deep-rooted vegetation, and unstable channel characteristics have contributed to the degradation of stream banks throughout the project area.

The project provides numerous ecological and water quality benefits within the Yadkin River Basin by applying an ecosystem restoration approach. The restoration approach at the reach scale of this project will have the greatest effect on the hydraulic and geomorphology function of the system but will benefit the upper-level functions (physiochemical and biology) over time, and in combination with other projects within the watershed. Buffer improvements filter runoff from agricultural fields, thereby reducing nutrient and sediment loads to the channel. Livestock exclusion fence was installed along the easement boundary. The widening and restoration of the riparian areas will also provide wildlife corridors throughout the Project area. Benefits to be accrued from these activities include improved water quality and terrestrial and aquatic habitat. Stream construction was completed in May 2020.

RES is working with a private client in Ohio to stabilize and revegetate approximately 1500 acres of previous agricultural property.  RES worked with the client early in the project lifecycle to identify revegetation priorities and align project goals with Ohio’s Pollinator Habitat Scorecard and had been following up on the back end, providing construction installation of approximately 1,500 acres of seeding and over 2,000 trees.

A 24-mile natural gas pipeline extension in southeastern Michigan unavoidably impacted 13 wetlands regulated by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. After construction and backfilling using stockpiled wetland soil, the Department required quantitative vegetation monitoring to gauge the recovery of restored wetlands relative to performance standards.

Using standard transect and quadrat protocols, RES conducted the quantitative ecological monitoring at each of the 13 discreet wetlands. Our ecologists recorded 246 plant species, including 183 native species. All 13 wetlands supported a predominance of hydrophytes including many native species, greatly exceeding the required minimum number of native wetland species.

Since 2010, RES, previously E Sciences, has provided environmental engineering support to the City of Pompano Beach and the CRA. RES has conducted several projects under this contract, including the following:

Sabal Golf Course Brownfield Cleanup

The City engaged RES to complete a contamination assessment and facilitate cleanup activities on this contaminated golf course. Using historic assessments compiled by others, RES conducted additional assessments, developed the remediation plan and bidding scope, and assisted the City with hiring a contractor to implement the remediation. RES provided consulting and oversight throughout the remedial activities and the follow-up regulatory coordination and reporting. This $1M cleanup was completed within two months (over holidays) for the City to maximize the financial benefits of the Brownfields program. The project was approved for conditional closure.

Palm Aire Lakes Water Quality Assessment

RES prepared a water quality “snapshot” of the lakes within Palm Aire Country Club for the City.  This project was conducted to support the City’s potential acquisition of the stormwater lakes and to assist the City in determining if they were discharging pollutants into an adjacent SFWMD canal. The parameters analyzed were selected based on historical land and FDEP rules.

Corner of Atlantic Avenue/West Dixie Highway

This assemblage includes numerous parcels owned by the CRA and adjacent properties owned by others. RES conducted Phase I and Phase II ESAs on the multiple parcels. The Phase I ESA revealed RECs related to historical land uses, such as dry cleaners, gasoline stations, blueprints and photostat businesses, auto sales, and service centers with historic underground storage tanks and lumber yards. The site was determined to be contaminated by the historic dry cleaner.

RES prepared a site development evaluation for this property, guiding the CRA on how the presence of contamination could impact site redevelopment and setting forth strategies for minimizing the impact of contamination on construction, designing the site to minimize the impact of construction and site development, and reducing potential risks.

Dixie Highway NEPA Evaluations

Our team conducted NEPA evaluations on two segments of Dixie Highway within the City to support the City’s applications to the Federal Highway Administration for infrastructure improvements, including improving safety for alternative modes of transportation, landscape and streetscape improvements, and access to transit.

Community Gardens Parcels

RES evaluated the suitability of three vacant, CRA-owned parcels for use as community gardens for a local school. The community gardens will be used to teach children about agriculture and healthy food choices. Vegetables grown on these lots will be used to provide fresh vegetables for families and children in the community. Incremental sampling methodology was used for soil assessment at this site resulting in several thousands of dollars in savings for the CRA.

Martin Luther King Boulevard NEPA Review 

RES prepared the Type I and Programmatic Categorical Exclusion Checklist and Memo for this streetscape improvement project between NW 31st Avenue and Powerline Road. This project is one segment of a planned, multi-city education corridor partially funded through the FDOT Local Agency Program (LAP). The environmental review included coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office regarding a potentially historic site and an inventory of community and cultural resources.

SW 36th Avenue Pedestrian Bridge Path LAP Project Design and Permitting

In addition to the work conducted under this CRA contract, RES assisted with the environmental permitting for a pedestrian path project for the City. Tasks included conducting field assessments of wetland and tree impacts, assisting with permit application packages, and coordinating with the permitting agencies and FDOT.

Blanche Ely and Adjacent Parcels

RES assessed this property, which consists of 27 parcels in the CRA. Historic land uses such as dry cleaners, an automotive repair facility, and a UST were identified as RECs. Phase II testing indicated the presence of chlorinated solvents at this property. RES further assisted the CRA in determining the best way to utilize the information in the context of the CRA’s plans for future redevelopment.

Mallek Property

RES performed a Phase I and Phase II ESA of multiple acres of urban land being purchased by the Pompano Beach CRA to evaluate potential environmental concerns. The Phase I ESA revealed the possible presence of historic USTs and contamination associated with the historical land use. Phase II services included a geophysical survey, and soil and groundwater testing. A UST was discovered during the Phase II ESA. RES guided the CRA on the proper regulatory course of action to remove the UST and move forward with the purchase and redevelopment of the Site.

Broward Community & Family Health Center

RES prepared Environmental Information and Documentation to satisfy Health Resources and Services Administration grant application requirements. The project was conducted to support the potential redevelopment of CRA parcels with a much-needed community health care facility. The documentation was required for the grant applicant to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Since 2008, RES has contracted with the City of Fort Lauderdale to offer continuous environmental engineering assistance across three consultant selection procedures. The contract’s breadth provides ample opportunities for RES to support the City in various endeavors. Below are highlights of completed projects:

Tarpon River Restoration

A rupture in a 54” sanitary sewer force main in the Rio Vista neighborhood caused significant raw sewage and sediment-laden sewage discharges into the Tarpon River. This event threatened the river’s Class III water status, which supports fish consumption, recreation, and a healthy aquatic ecosystem.

Upon engaging RES, the City initiated a comprehensive assessment and restoration plan. RES utilized vibracore technology to extract sediment cores for visual characterization and analysis, pinpointing areas of contamination. Additionally, a benthic survey employing a “go-pro” camera documented the river bottom and assessed submerged vegetation.

With the USACE, FDEP, and Broward County, RES facilitated streamlined permitting processes to expedite restoration efforts. Regular updates were provided to the City and residents to ensure transparency. RES also assisted in the procurement process and selection of restoration contractors.

Following meticulous restoration work and compliance inspections, the project is now successfully concluded, safeguarding the ecological integrity of the Tarpon River and its surrounding community.

Bonnet House Greenway Access

The City enlisted RES to conduct an environmental assessment for a proposed greenway from Birch State Park, through Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, to North Birch Road. Key objectives included creating connectivity from Sunrise Boulevard to the island community south of Bonnet House, integrating users into the mangrove forest experience, maintaining distance from Bonnet House activities, and preserving parking and landscaping.

The evaluation aimed to support a grant application under the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. RES was tasked with finding ways to minimize environmental impacts while designing the greenway.

RES proposed an alternative layout that would reduce impacts on mangroves by shifting the greenway to disturbed upland areas in the southern section. This adjustment would also lessen impacts on landscape trees and preserve parking areas at Bonnet House. Additionally, design features like elevated boardwalks and permeable pavement were suggested to mitigate environmental impacts further.

Isle of Palms Seawall 15 Replacement and Climate Change Adaptation

RES provided critical support to the City to replace 900 feet of seawall along the west side of Isle of Palms Drive. Rising sea levels have led to overtopping of the existing seawall, causing flooding on adjacent land and roads. The project’s primary goal is to elevate the seawall to mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect the shoreline.

The City enlisted RES to conduct a comprehensive benthic survey to inform the design and permitting process. This involved identifying seagrasses and gathering data on their size, density, incidental species, and substrate conditions. RES worked closely with design engineers to secure regulatory permits and provided input to streamline the construction procurement process on behalf of the City.

RES delivered the survey report ahead of schedule and under budget, demonstrating efficiency and expertise. After construction completion, RES conducted a post-construction survey to fulfill environmental permit requirements and ensure regulatory compliance.

National Environmental Policy Act Statutory Worksheets

The City actively pursues Community Development Block Grants from HUD to enhance neighborhood living standards. RES plays a crucial role by conducting environmental reviews and preparing NEPA Statutory Worksheets for various projects falling under categorical exclusions, such as decorative street name posts, entryway monuments, brick paver crosswalks, decorative lighting, and landscaping.

This process entails close coordination with environmental regulatory agencies, including the State Historic Preservation Office, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Statutory Worksheet includes a Determination section with three options. If the project doesn’t necessitate mitigation for statutory compliance or formal permits, it qualifies for Exempt status.

Upon assessing the proposed property usage changes, it was determined that the project warranted a higher level of review as a Categorical Exclusion. RES has successfully prepared these Statutory Worksheets for numerous projects across the City, ensuring compliance and smooth progression of neighborhood enhancement initiatives.

NPDES Permitting Support

RES assisted the City in preparing its TMDL Prioritization Plan and Assessment Program, fulfilling Year 1 requirements of their NPDES MS4 permit. In Year 2, RES began pollutant load analysis and reviewed monitoring data to assess stormwater system improvements’ impact and ensure permit compliance. Additionally, RES is currently working on the City’s BPCP, collaborating with stakeholders for effective reporting and cost savings, scheduled for submission with the Year 3 annual report. Ongoing NPDES support, including annual reports and SOP reviews, is also provided by RES to ensure compliance with permit requirements.

Other projects performed under this contract include:

1. Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport Endangered Species Surveys, Permitting and Relocation
2. Former Transfer Station
3. Las Olas Circle Site Assessment
4. Sistrunk Boulevard
5. Fire Station #49 Emergency Response
6. Opinion of Post Closure Costs, Wingate Landfill
7. Wingate Landfill Burrowing Owl Relocation
8. FXE Proposed U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility
9. Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments
10. FXE Fuel Spill Regulatory Assistance
11. Fort Lauderdale Low-Level Bridges
12. Fire Station #46
13. HUD Environmental Documentation and Area-wide Floodplain Management Eight-Step Decision-Making Process
14. Benthic Surveys for Sylvan Lake Canal and Seminole River Canal
15. South Middle River Improvement Environmental Evaluation
16. Grace Community Development Environmental Assessment
17. Statutory Worksheet – Community Redevelopment Agency Resurfacing Projects

RES is providing stream restoration credits to Prince George’s County Maryland Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program. The CWP is a Public-Private Partnership formed to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water regulatory requirements. The projects delivered through this contract will be enrolled as part of Prince George’s County Bay TMDL Action Plan, with the associated nutrient reductions credited toward compliance with the Bay TMDL. RES designed and constructed four projects totaling 27,294 LF of restored channel throughout the County. These four projects generate approximately 568 Impervious Acre Credits for Prince George’s County. 

To execute these projects, RES performed existing site assessments and geomorphic surveys. Using this data and Natural Channel Design philosophies and published reference data, RES designed bankfull channels that provided stable banks and frequent floodplain connectivity. Additionally, RES ensured that there were no offsite floodplain rises and performed all necessary hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. RES acquired all state, federal and local permits necessary to execute the proposed work.  

Upon completing the design and permitting a portion of the projects, RES’ construction staff used a team of subcontractors and in-house construction crews to execute the projects. During construction, RES’ design staff remained an integral part of the team, making frequent site visits, attending multiple site meetings, and ensuring the proper execution of the design. 

• Hillmeade Stream Restoration 
• Crain Stream Restoration
• Tributary to Mattawoman Stream Restoration 
• Black Swamp Creek Stream Restoration
• Pea Hill Branch Stream Restoration

The goal of the Cow Island Bayou Mitigation Bank is to provide appropriate compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to wetlands authorized by the USACE within the Lower Trinity watershed.

The bank reestablished approximately 272 acres of wetlands, including:

• Restoring approximately 232 acres of forested wetlands
• Restoring approximately 22 acres of herbaceous wetlands
• Preserving approximately 18 acres of forested wetlands

RES is providing stream restoration credits to Prince George’s County Maryland Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program. The CWP is a Public-Private Partnership formed to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water regulatory requirements. The projects delivered through this contract will be enrolled as part of Prince George’s County Bay TMDL Action Plan, with the associated nutrient reductions credited toward compliance with the Bay TMDL. The Crain site restored 4,695LF of degraded stream channel. 

To execute this project RES performed existing site assessments and geomorphic surveys. Using this data along with Natural Channel Design philosophies and published reference data RES designed a bankfull channel that provided stable banks and frequent floodplain connectivity. Additionally, RES ensured that there were no offsite floodplain rises and performed all necessary hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. RES acquired all state, federal, and local permits necessary to execute the proposed work.  

Upon completion of the design and permitting, RES’ construction staff used a team of subcontractors and in-house construction crews to execute the project. Construction began in August 2020 and was substantially complete by February 2021. During construction, RES’ design staff remained an integral part of the team making frequent site visits, attending multiple site meetings, and ensuring the proper execution of the design.  

The goal of this Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) project was to provide off-site compensation for unavoidable project-related impacts to both streams and wetlands resulting from the construction of a proposed petrochemicals complex project (Complex Project). The Complex Project is within the Upper Ohio Watershed (HUC 05030101) and under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Pittsburgh District.

The mitigation activities associated with the PRM Site were performed along three headwater tributaries of South Fork Cross Creek at RES’ Cross Creek Restoration Site. The tributaries were designated as high-quality warm water fisheries (HQ-WWF) (PADEP, 2014). Successful execution of the PRM resulted in restoring and enhancing the functions and values of the sites’ streams, wetlands, and riparian corridors.

The site’s restoration efforts utilized a combination of channel relocation, instream enhancement, floodplain restoration, and riparian corridor enhancement. Restoring the channel pattern and floodplain promotes the spread of high flow storm events to a reconnected floodplain, reducing excessive shear stress values that would otherwise frequently mobilize bed substrate and cause severe bank erosion. Subsurface log and rock structures were utilized to re-establish grade control throughout the systems and improve vertical bed stability. The installed structures promote the re-establishment of bed sediment and provide improved habitats for both fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Furthermore, structural improvements have enhanced large woody debris (LWD) and fine carbon retention, providing additional food sources and unique niches that promote the establishment of unique biotic communities. The re-establishment of stream habitat and floodplain diversity has provided new, improved habitats for amphibians and re-established historic wetland plant communities. In addition, floodplain restoration efforts have improved hydrologic connectivity, water storage capacity, restoration of the streams’ hyporheic zone, and biogeochemical cycling by re-establishing the hyporheic zone.

The Dairyland Stream Mitigation site is located in Orange County, North Carolina, about eight miles southwest of Hillsborough. Dairyland is within the Haw River portion of the Jordan Lake Watershed, 03030002 HUC, which is highly developed along the I-40 Corridor from Greensboro to Chapel Hill, and is dominated by agricultural and forested areas south and north of the I-40 Corridor.

Pre-restoration, the project area exhibited diminished hydrology and habitat value as a result of past agricultural activities. The project watershed is primarily characterized by agriculture, forests, and low-intensity residential areas. Land use at the site is characterized by the row crop production, pasture, impoundments, and disturbed forest. Pre-restoration, riparian zones were primarily composed of herbaceous vegetation and scattered trees located adjacent to the streams. The project area contains two parcels totaling 28.6 acres of conservation easement in the southwestern Orange County, NC. Hudson Branch (HB-1 and HB-2) and two unnamed tributaries (including two ponds) encompass the majority of the northern part of the project area. Watery Fork (WF-1 and WF-2) begins on the northern parcel, then crosses Dairyland Road and flows to the southeast. The project is hydrologically connected to a separate conservation easement downstream of Dairyland Road.

The project presents 3,657 Stream Mitigation Units (SMU) through a combination of stream, restoration, enhancement, and preservation. Construction was completed in 2018. Project benefits include the storage of excess water during flood events, preventing erosion of stream banks, reducing in-stream sedimentation, restoring aquatic passage, thermal regulation, and nutrient reductions.

The 665-acre Daley Ranch Conservation Bank in Butte County consists of natural vernal pools, vernal swales, clay flat wetlands, seasonal wetlands, and upland habitat. These habitats are maintained so that conditions benefit the continued existence and recovery efforts for the vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and California linderiella.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, providing vernal pool preservation credits within the Northeastern Sacramento Valley Vernal Pool Region established by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the USFWS Vernal Pool Recovery Plan. The service area encompasses portions of Solano, Colusa, Glenn, and Yolo counties.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Vernal pool fairy & tadpole shrimp preservation | KMZ

RES was awarded a Greened Acre Retrofit Program (GARP) grant to implement the Darien Crossing Regional Stormwater Retrofit (Darien Crossing) on a parcel owned by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC). The GARP program is a component of the Philadelphia Water Department’s (PWD) innovative Green City, Clean Waters Program, adopted in 2011 as Philadelphia’s plan to reduce stormwater pollution currently entering its combined sewer system through the use of green infrastructure. Darien Crossing is located within the very active stadium district in South Philadelphia, provides PWD a large-scale green stormwater project at a high-profile, highly-visible, impervious-dominated part of the City. The project provided a unique opportunity for RES to develop an innovative solution that addressed PWD’s programmatic goals while maintaining the preferred land use of PIDC and the surrounding stakeholders.

Using the space from a demolished portion of an existing warehouse, RES installed an enormous underground stormwater management basin. The basin was designed to capture and store stormwater minimizing combined sewer overflows at the PWD system.

The system was capped with new parking and landscaping, which will be used and enjoyed aesthetically by visitors to both Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park.

Design and permitting, along with demolition for the project, was completed by the close of 2019. Construction began in January 2020. Excavation of the site was completed in phases due to the size constraints of the parcel. The SMP was installed, and the finished work (curbing/paving/landscaping) has been initiated with a projected end date of Fall 2020. Additionally, RES executed a long-term lease agreement with PIDC to operate and maintain the facility for 45 years post-construction. PIDC and other project stakeholders will benefit from significantly reduced stormwater fees after the implementation of the project.

The purpose of this bank site is to continue to provide the regulated community with the opportunity to offset impacts associated with various development activities. The bank provides permit applicants a means to satisfy stream and wetland mitigation requirements for unavoidable impacts to jurisdictional waters associated with Section 404 and 401 of the Clean Water Act, Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection permit requirements. The bank has yielded 5,987 stream credits and 1.22 wetland credits. The overall objective of this bank is to replace stream functions and values that have been lost or degraded as a result of past and present land use practices at the site. These functions include water quality, flood storage and temperature, habitat, and overall ecological integrity.

The Dead Oak Mitigation Project, located in Buncombe County, is approximately two miles northwest of Alexander, NC, within the French Broad River Basin HUC 06010105. The Project is comprised of a 33.41-acre conservation easement that abuts the 2,767-acre Sandy Mush Game Land, a DMS preservation project. The Project is comprised of 11 unnamed tributaries, three that drain to Turkey Creek and eight that drain to the French Broad River, totaling 12,563 LF of stream, generating over 6,000 Cool Stream Mitigation Units.

The streams proposed for restoration have been significantly impacted by agricultural practices, livestock, and a lack of riparian buffer. Proposed improvements to the Project include establishing riparian buffers, stabilizing banks, installing in-stream structures, preserving direct tributaries to the French Broad River, and excluding livestock from headwater streams.

The 714-acre Deadman Creek Conservation Bank in Merced County consists of wetlands (vernal pool and swale habitat) and 639.24 acres of upland habitat (annual grassland), totaling 683.9 acres.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to provide California tiger salamander, San Joaquin kit fox, and vernal pool species preservation mitigation. The service area for California tiger salamander is the Central Valley California tiger salamander subpopulation, which spans San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties. The San Joaquin kit fox service area encompasses the eastern side of the San Joaquin Valley. The vernal pool service area is the San Joaquin Valley Vernal Pool Region.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• California tiger salamander | KMZ
• San Joaquin kit fox | KMZ
• Vernal pool fairy & tadpole shrimp preservation | KMZ

Through its on-call contract with Montgomery County, MD, RES provided construction services to create a series of 10 roadside basins/cells designed to collect and filter roadside run-off before being discharged into Sligo Creek. Several of the basins/cells were constructed on Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) park property, while others were constructed along the road and in the right of way between the sidewalk and curb or within the roadway (curb bump-outs). The project was designed so that run-off to each of these basins is conveyed through a series of modified storm drain inlets draining directly into each respective basin. Once the stormwater is collected in each basin, it filters through several layers of filter media (mulch, bioretention soil, and stone) and is collected in an underdrain system connecting each basin to the existing stormwater infrastructure. Each basin was planted with a variety of native grasses and shrubs. This project combined Infiltration and Filtering Practices, as classified by MDE’s Stormwater Design Manual.

The goal of this 379.95-acre nutrient bank located in Southampton County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Chowan River watershed via tributaries located within and/or in close proximity to the Bank through the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient Credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance, including the DEQ Guidance. This site lies within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) 030102011103 which drains into the Nottoway River. Specifically, the Project drains to Assamoosick Swamp, eventually finding its way to the Nottoway River, the principal drainage for eight-digit HUC 03010201.

As part of our Green Infrastructure Assessment contract for the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), RES conducts comprehensive evaluations of green roofs to ensure that planting media remain stable, vegetation coverage is sufficient, and any maintenance needs are properly addressed. These evaluations are essential to keeping green infrastructure compliant with Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits and achieving the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reduction goals. Regular maintenance and inspections are vital not only for regulatory compliance but also for fostering a greener and healthier DC.

In addition to green roofs, we are also assessing the performance of other stormwater management practices, including bioretention areas, permeable pavements, infiltration systems, dry wells, and stream restoration sites, and providing assessments and recommendations for treating non-native invasive plants within DOEE green space. Through our detailed inspections and reports, we are helping guide DOEE in addressing ongoing functionality and helping to head off issues during their long-term maintenance of these sites and practices, all in service of continuing to improve the stormwater and water quality within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

To date, the RES team has assessed ~1200 individual facilities within DC and is engaged in this work to support DOEE through 2025.

The Dogtown Mitigation Bank Site presents an opportunity to restore, enhance, and preserve 11,026 linear feet of stream and riparian corridor, generating a base amount of 7,786 Stream Mitigation Units (SMUs). The site will provide numerous ecological and water quality benefits within the Catawba River Basin. These benefits are not limited to the project area but have more far-reaching effects throughout the Catawba River Basin.
The site will provide improvements to water quality, hydrologic function, and habitat.

As stated in the North Carolina Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) Catawba River Basin Restoration Priorities (RBRP) report (amended 2013), the following restoration and protection goals are listed for the watershed:

1. Protection of drinking water supplies, including the reservoirs of Mountain Island Lake, Lake
   Norman, and Lake Rhodhiss;
2. Restoring impaired biology on creeks impacted by stormwater runoff; and
3. Protecting important species and significant natural and cultural resources in Lyle Creek.

This bank is designed to help meet goals one and two. The project will address stressors identified in the watershed through nutrient removal, sediment removal, runoff filtration, and improved aquatic and
terrestrial habitat.

Additionally, the Dogtown Project presents the opportunity to develop 606,141.24 riparian buffer mitigation credits by establishing or preserving a native forested and herbaceous riparian buffer plant community with a minimum width of 50 feet and a maximum of 200 feet from the top of the bank of the mitigated channels.

The 252-acre Dolan Ranch Conservation Bank consists of preserved wetland and upland habitats in Colusa County. The Conservation Bank site supports a variety of habitats, including vernal pools, seasonal wetlands, emergent marsh and annual grassland.

The Bank was approved by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to provide vernal pool species preservation, Swainson’s hawk, giant garter snake, and burrowing owl mitigation for impacts within Solano, Colusa, Glenn, and Yolo counties.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Vernal pool fairy and tadpole shrimp preservation | KMZ
• Swainson’s hawk | KMZ
• Burrowing owl | KMZ

Previously Available Credit Types

• Giant garter snake (sold out)

The Dover Farm Mitigation Bank site was established in 2008 to compensate for unavoidable impacts and to conserve and protect HUC 03010205, the wetland bank consists of 966 acres and is located on the west side of the Dismal Swamp Canal in Chesapeake, VA. This bank site is located within the historic Dismal Swamp and portions of the bank site drain to the Dismal Swamp Canal. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge abuts the property to the north and the west. The tract is known locally as the Dover Farm. The Bank property includes approximately 243.3 acres of wetland preservation, 686.1 acres of wetland restoration, and 33.5 acres of upland. The property was farmed until 2009, when restoration began. Restoration included the filling of internal ditches with material taken from the remnants of the airfield, construction of a water control structure in the northeast corner of the property, and replanting of approximately 200,000 trees.

The Drain 27 Wetland Restoration Native Plantings Project is located just south of Fargo, North Dakota, near Horace. The project aims to mitigate wetland impacts caused by the construction of the Fargo Moorhead Metropolitan (FMM) Area Flood Risk Management Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), St. Paul District, awarded a $2 million contract to Red Bison Services, LLC, out of Kenner, Louisiana, to establish and maintain native vegetation for a wetland restoration project area near Horace, North Dakota, as part of the FMM Area Flood Risk Management Project.

As a subconsultant to Red Bison, RES completed site prep activities throughout the 2023 growing season. It started with a combination of site prep herbicide application with RES operators and a helicopter spraying service as a subcontractor to do a site-wide spray of the entire 300-acre site. After a month or so had passed, the spraying was followed by a site-wide prep mowing by RES operators. Forestry mowing of approximately five acres of invasive brush was completed in December 2023.

RES operators installed native seed in Fall 2023 with 110 acres of mesic prairie seed, 45 acres of wet prairie seed, 80 acres of wet meadow seed, and 30 acres of emergent seed all installed at that time.

The RES advisory services team will complete five years of vegetation and hydrology monitoring as well as draft annual reports to be submitted to the prime and owner.

The Dugout Stream & Wetland Mitigation Site (the Project) is located in southern Cumberland County, NC, approximately seven miles south of Fayetteville. The Project will involve the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of Grays Creek and two of its unnamed tributaries. The project provides 41.3 acres of a proposed conservation easement. The conceptual design presents 7,860 linear feet of stream mitigation, generating 6,496 Stream Mitigation Units (SMUs) and 13.61 acres of wetland mitigation generating 5.78 Riparian Wetland Mitigation Units (WMUs).

The Project has the following objectives that provide functional lift:

• Design and reconstruct stream channels sized to convey bankfull flows that will maintain a stable dimension, profile, and planform based on watershed and referent reach conditions;
• Permanently exclude livestock from stream channels and their associate buffers;
• Add in-stream structures and bank stabilization measures to protect restored and enhanced streams;
• Install habitat features such as brush toes, constructed riffles, woody materials, and pools of varying depths to restore and enhance streams;
• Increase forested riparian buffers to at least 50 feet on both sides of the channel along the project reaches with a hardwood riparian community;
• Raise stream bed elevations adjacent to wetland restoration and enhancement areas, plugging surface ditches, and planting native wetland plant species;

The Project was identified as having the potential to help meet the compensatory mitigation requirements for stream and wetland impacts in the hydrologic unit code (HUC) 03030005 of the Cape Fear River Basin. The 2009 Cape Fear River Basin Restoration Priorities (RBRP) plan for HUC 03030005 recommends a restoration focus on the upper part of the watershed, which is expected to have continued urban growth associated with Fort Bragg. The Dugout Site focuses on being located at the very top of the watershed and immediately downstream of a growing suburban area between Highway 87 and I-95 on the south side of Fayetteville. The project will address stressors identified in the watershed through nutrient removal, sediment removal, runoff filtration, and improved aquatic and terrestrial habitat.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County in the Chicago metro region owns more than 9,000 acres of highly urbanized, yet resource-rich forested and riparian land.

In the mid-90s, most county residents had little understanding of ecosystem health and restoration – issues that were plaguing the District. To create a plan for improving ecological conditions in 70 natural areas of the District, RES ecologists inventoried the plant communities and developed recommendations to restore healthy systems to woodlands, stream corridors, and savannas.

Some were controversial at the time. Such as removing buckthorn from public park properties. (This socio-ecological issue became national news – and halted buckthorn removal and savanna restoration in the Cook County Forest Preserves for 5 years – in the late 90s before a moratorium was lifted in 2002.)

DuPage County preserve management recommendations have been followed for more than 20 years now, and natural resources in the District (and beyond) are significantly, measurably improved – and awarded.

The DuPage County Natural Areas Management Program (NAMP) has been used, not only throughout the District to improve ecosystem health, but also as a guideline for ecosystem management throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

In 2012, RES collected high-resolution aerial imagery of the Lower DuPage River to identify locations of woody invasive plants for eradication.

Twenty years after field inventory for the DuPage NAMP, this new imagery is assisting the District in assessing trouble spots and continuing to lower O+M costs in high-quality natural areas.

The East Branch Codorus Creek project is a mitigation bank that aims to restore and preserve a functional stream and wetland system. This project serves as an in-kind replacement for the loss or degradation of stream and wetland resources resulting from unavoidable impacts in the immediate or adjacent subbasins. The restoration efforts utilize a floodplain restoration approach and incorporate a comprehensive planting plan to improve degraded or lost streams/wetlands and provide significant ecological uplift.

Through this project, the East Branch Codorus Creek team aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that supports the local flora and fauna and enhances overall ecological resiliency. The team will monitor and maintain the site to ensure long-term success and that all necessary permits and regulatory requirements have been met.

Overall, the East Branch Codorus Creek project represents a significant step forward in restoring and preserving vital stream and wetland resources in the region. Through this project, we hope to demonstrate the importance of conservation and restoration efforts in maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment for future generations.

The goal of this 190.95-acre Nutrient Bank located in Buckingham County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Chesapeake Bay watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate nonpoint nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance, including the DEQ Guidance. This bank consists mostly of fallow pastureland with areas of forest. This bank site is located within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit codes (HUC) 020802031304 (Walton Fork-Ripley Creek) and eight-digit HUC 02080203 (Middle James-Buffalo).

The Elsie Gridley Mitigation Bank is the largest vernal pool mitigation bank in the State of California. It was established to provide offsite mitigation opportunities for vernal pool grassland and riparian habitats and several associated rare, threatened, and endangered species.

Wetland Resources, LLC received bank approval in 2006, and it has been amended twice. Three phases of vernal pool restoration were implemented, and a fourth and final vernal pool restoration phase is in planning. Wetland Resources, LLC hired RES to conduct the bank’s ecological monitoring, design, and implementation of future phases, compliance reporting, and credit sales.

The 1,815-acre Gridley Bank is located in rural Solano County, California, south of the City of Dixon and adjacent to the Solano Land Trust’s Jepson Prairie Preserve.

Numerous wetlands and vernal pools were preserved or restored within the property, along with habitat for special-status species, including California tiger salamander, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool conservancy shrimp, Swainson’s hawk, Delta green ground, Boggs Lake hedge hyssop, and others.

Key Bank Metrics

• 100 acres of Army Corps Section 404 mitigation credits currently constructed
• Additional 130 acres of Army Corps Section 404 mitigation credits in the design/planning phase
• Largest CTS conservation bank with over 1,500 acres of CTS upland and aquatic credits
• Riparian and linear stream credits, vernal pool crustaceans, burrowing owl, and Swainson’s hawk credits

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Burrowing owl: Service area map | KMZ
• California tiger salamander: Service area map | KMZ
• Freshwater emergent marsh: Service area map | KMZ
• Seasonal wetland (404): Service area map | KMZ
• Swainson’s hawk: Service area map | KMZ
• Vernal pool conservancy, fairy, and tadpole shrimp: Service area map | KMZ
• Vernal pool (404): Service area map | KMZ

RES was contracted by a commercial storage company to repair a stormwater management pond located on one of their storage unit compounds in Bel Air, MD. RES re-established storage capacity of the pond by performing a principle spillway replacement, dredging the pond basin, and disposing excess sediment off-site. Specific RES tasks included excavation and slope grading, replacement of the failing riser and  barrel outfall pipe, and installation of a new clay core in the embankment. RES performed all erosion and sediment control installation, mowed the embankment, and stabilized disturbed areas upon construction completion.

The Enoree River Basin Mitigation (ERBM) project includes approximately 494.75 acres of conservation easement areas comprised of two project sites: Middle Indian Creek (MIC) and Lower Indian Creek (LIC) in Newberry County, South Carolina.

The ERBM project sites are made up of multiple private land holdings located directly adjacent to the Sumter National Forest lands. This Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) project is intended to provide mitigation for jurisdictional stream and wetland impacts associated with the BMW plant expansion located in the Enoree River Basin. This project was completed under an outcome-based performance contract method, based upon the completion of predetermined milestones.

The mitigation plan includes: stream restoration and enhancement of five 1st order perennial headwater streams; floodplain area enhancement and re-vegetation; stream preservation of two 2nd order perennial streams; stream preservation of portions of Indian Creek and Gilders Creek; establishment of a 75-foot buffer to protect all streams within the conservation easement; enhancement and preservation of the surrounding wetlands; and a 50-foot buffer to protect all wetlands within the proposed conservation easements.

RES worked with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to implement a controlled burning program for the site. BMW also asked RES to assist with public relations activities, including inviting local stakeholders to tour the site post-construction.

The Even Flow Mitigation Bank in Frederick County is the first under RES’s Umbrella Banking Instrument in Maryland, delivering substantial ecological benefits to the local community through comprehensive wetland and stream restoration efforts.

The project included restoring and enhancing wetlands, totaling 9.83 credits of PFO nontidal wetlands. This encompassed 8.24 acres of restoration and 5.22 acres of enhancement. Additionally, the project involves 2,502 functional feet/credits for stream improvements, including 1,259 feet of preservation, 902 feet of enhancement, and 6,787 feet of restoration.

The Even Flow Mitigation Bank brings numerous environmental advantages to Frederick County, including enhanced water quality, improved filtration of nutrients and pollutants, and increased floodplain access and connectivity. The project also promotes stable stream patterns and banks and enhances riparian buffers with native plantings. These plantings contribute to bank stability, provide shade, and aid in nutrient absorption, fostering a more resilient ecosystem.

This project underscores RES’s commitment to ecological restoration and community enhancement. The Even Flow Mitigation Bank sets a new standard for future mitigation efforts in Maryland and beyond by restoring and preserving natural resources. The project’s initial credit release marks a pivotal milestone, enabling continued ecological improvements and promoting sustainable development in the region.

Located on 88-acres within the Lower Falls Lake watershed in the Neuse River Basin, stormwater runoff from this site drained into unnamed tributaries of Smith Creek, classified as Class C and Nutrient Sensitive Waters. RES provided mitigation for unavoidable impacts from nearby development to improve and protect water quality within the Neuse River Basin. A nearly 27-acre conservation easement was placed on the site, permanently protecting the mitigation components of the site. Within the easement, RES worked to restore and enhance existing riparian areas to generate both Neuse buffer and nutrient offset (nitrogen and phosphorus) credits. A riparian buffer restoration area of 7.5 acres was used to establish 326,700 SF of Neuse buffer credits. The remaining acres of riparian restoration area on the site provide nutrient offset credits for nitrogen and phosphorus within the Lower Falls Lake watershed.

The Feed & Seed Mitigation Bank (the Project) is located in the Randleman Lake Watershed within the Cape Fear Basin (HUC 03030003). The project streams have been significantly impacted by livestock access and a lack of riparian buffer. Therefore, the project objectives are to install fencing to exclude livestock from the project easement, restore and stabilize degraded streams, and replant native hardwood vegetation within the non-forested area. These objectives will improve water quality in tributaries that drain directly into Randleman Reservoir. The Project will generate approximately 2,828 SMUs for unavoidable stream impacts in HUC 03030003 and approximately 620,000 Randleman buffer credits.

Established in 2016, Festina Lente Ranch Conservation Bank (FLRCB) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved Golden-Cheeked Warbler (GCW) conservation bank located in Bandera County and is fully owned, operated, and maintained by RES. FLRCB supports a large population of the Federally-endangered Golden-Cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and a smaller number of the Federally endangered Black-Capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla). The approximately 1,100-acre site lies across from Lost Maples State Natural Area (SNA), a 2,174-acre preserve managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department that also supports golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos. FLCB service area covers 13 counties in west Texas and includes Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Medina, Real, and Uvalde Counties. Currently, FLRCB has 495 GCW credits available for immediate purchase from its first phase, with additional 618 credits from its second phase to be released if demand warrants additional credits.

Caney Fork watershed is a beautiful area surrounding the Cumberland River. However, over the past two decades, this land has suffered from the consequences of human activity. The Cumberland River Compact (CRC) recognized the urgent need for restoration and proposed the Fire Tower Stream Mitigation Project (FTSMP).

The FTSMP covers approximately 1811 acres of land, encompassing the unnamed tributaries to Dry Fork, Beaverdam Branch, and others.

Located south of Fire Tower Road, approximately 6 miles south of the City of Spencer in Van Buren County, Tennessee, the FTSMP site endured significant anthropogenic impacts over the last two decades. Human interventions have resulted in the degradation of the stream networks, primarily due to incision and excessive sedimentation, which have had detrimental effects on the area’s habitat, hydrology, and lateral stability. Additionally, the unrestricted access of livestock to the streams and farm pond impoundments has directly impacted hydrologic connectivity and water quality.

The existing site characteristics and functional deficiencies of the streams within the proposed FTSMP highlight the urgent need for ecological restoration and enhancement. Our mitigation approach aims to restore natural drainage patterns and runoff conditions, establish floodplain connectivity for all streams, enhance riparian vegetation, improve bedform diversity, and address lateral instability. By implementing these measures, we strive to rectify the significant functional deficiencies and restore the area’s ecological health.

Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, Ohio, had been removing European buckthorn from 1,500 acres of its preserves for two years when they asked RES to map their progress, and work to be done, with strategically timed high-resolution aerial imagery.

The imagery was foundational in helping develop a habitat management plan to enhance ~15,500 acres of natural area from the ecological degradation threatened by invasive species.

To understand and prioritize strategies for future buckthorn management, RES collected aerial imagery at 6-inch resolution with our multi-spectral sensor. The flight was strategically timed in November to collect images during leaf-off tree canopy conditions while understory buckthorn still retained its green leaves.

NAIP images were also collected to enhance the image classification method, and a hierarchal object-oriented, supervised classification approach was applied to map the distribution of invasives.

Key steps in the approach were “just-in-time” image acquisition and object-based classification methods. Image segmentation methods were used to categorized image pixels into meaningful objects based on spectral signatures, image texture, and other characteristics.

Using field data, oblique imagery we collected and other data sources, RES built a model to classify and create maps of the invasive species. This project demonstrates that high resolution photography and remote sensing can be highly effective, cost-saving tools to managing invasive species.

RES embarked on a comprehensive surface reclamation project for a 180-acre site previously utilized for mining copper, gold, and silver. The Flambeau Mine, subject to significant public scrutiny, necessitated meticulous planning and design for its transformation.

Before surface reclamation, the mine underwent a closure process involving backfilling with a mixture of waste rock and limestone to neutralize acidity. A naturally occurring clay layer was then applied over the neutralized waste rock, followed by the redistribution of salvaged topsoil to approximate the original contours.

Our team developed meticulous surface grading and planting plans aimed at restoring native plant communities and effectively managing surface drainage. Situated along the Flambeau River, the site initially encompassed old fields and woodland patches, which were enhanced in diversity through the reclamation process.

We implemented a phased approach to planting, introducing ten native communities ranging from wetlands to upland prairie and savanna. Various live plant installation and seeding strategies were employed to accommodate the complex planting plan and high species diversity, including hydro-seeding, drilling, cyclone seeding, hand seeding, transplanting, hand plugging, and live staking.

Approximately 150 acres were successfully restored to natural conditions, with an additional 30 acres reserved for the development of a light industrial park, utilizing existing infrastructure from the mine.

To manage stormwater runoff effectively, we designed a natural biofilter complex that cleansed runoff onsite and restored wetland habitat, augmenting the biodiversity of the reclaimed area. This bioengineered system, strategically positioned at the convergence points of surface drainages, ensured that rain and snowmelt runoff underwent filtration before discharge into the Flambeau River. Additionally, proactive planning facilitated the isolation of runoff from the proposed industrial park to facilitate future stormwater discharge permits.

Since its restoration, the Flambeau Mine site has become a cherished public asset. Nearby schools utilize the site as an outdoor classroom, while residents of neighboring communities enjoy recreational trail systems. Through the implementation of ecological landscape design principles, we successfully transformed the closed mine site into a coveted community resource.

The Foster Run Mitigation Bank is located on approximately 347.03-acres, on five parcels of land. The goal of the Foster Run Mitigation Bank is to restore, enhance, and preserve self-sustaining, functional streams and wetlands to mitigate for the functions lost due to unavoidable off-site impacts to streams and wetlands. The over-arching goal of this project is to restore hydrology, hydraulic, and geomorphic functions to stream and riparian ecosystems within the site boundary.

The French Camp Conservation Bank is an 84-acre property in San Joaquin, California.​ The Phase III Amendment involves the addition of approximately fourteen acres of preserved habitat containing over 17,000 elderberry shrubs for the federally threatened Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (VELB) in San Joaquin County. Once entitled, Phase III will provide additional credits to help offset impacts to the VELB. In addition to over 14 acres of dense elderberry shrubs, French Camp conserves existing riparian habitat, shaded riverine aquatic habitat, and willow scrub habitat. The Bank is also home to other important terrestrial and wetland communities and species.

Available Credit Types

Download the service area map and KMZ file below:

• Valley elderberry longhorn beetle | KMZ

Service Areas

RES serves as the French Quarter Creek Mitigation Bank (FQC) sponsor and will oversee design, permitting, construction, monitoring, and credit sales. The approximately 440-acre site includes 383.7 acres of bottomland hardwood, longleaf pine savannah wetlands, and gum ponds, which will be restored and enhanced. The hydrologic and vegetative enhancement were achieved through grading, invasive removal, native plantings, and prescribed burns. Upon bank approval, it will provide compensatory mitigation credits for unavoidable impacts to jurisdictional wetlands in the greater Charleston area.

The FQC site was chosen for its unique ability to promote habitat connectivity, as it is situated adjacent to a very large, protected property known as the Keystone Tract within the Francis Marion National Forest. Upon completing the bank, RES will provide six years of ecological site monitoring, reporting, and maintenance to comply with the bank’s required success criteria.

Initial feasibility tasks provided by RES alongside its subcontractor, Wood PLC, included environmental site assessment, wetland delineation, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) confirmation, Threatened & Endangered Species Studies, water budget development, agency coordination, and other upfront planning tasks as required. RES anticipates obtaining approval for the Mitigation Banking Instrument from the Interagency Review Team (IRT) in early 2023.

Working with AECOM, our Florida team provided environmental permitting support for the FDOT District Five work program. The work included specialized engineering and environmental support and coordination with the Water Management Districts, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Project responsibilities included the following on-call services: 

• Wetland delineation
• Wildlife and habitat impact analysis
• Natural systems mapping
• Regulatory agency coordination
• Permit application submittals and project management
• Field and scope reviews for project development
• Design plan reviews and comment coordination
• Permit tracking and data management
• Permit renewals and extensions
• Listed species evaluations
• Senate Bill mitigation support and ledger management
• Database management

Contracted by the General Services Administration (GSA), RES is currently involved in a comprehensive project to create and manage a six-acre wetland area, intended to offset environmental impacts associated with the Rouse Point Land Port of Entry (LPOE). This initiative encompasses various stages, including land acquisition, design, construction, maintenance, and ongoing monitoring.

The primary objective of this wetland mitigation project is to address the wetland impacts resulting from the modernization of the Rouses Point LPOE, which is being undertaken to enhance border security, streamline Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations, and ensure the safety of CBP Officers. The new LPOE, located approximately one-half mile south of the border, will serve as a crucial point for international rail passenger crossings in the United States, with the unique capability of conducting onsite passenger inspections.

In alignment with sustainability goals, the project emphasizes environmentally conscious practices. This includes designing the LPOE to minimize disruption to the surrounding wetland ecology while incorporating innovative features such as an all-electric, net-zero energy-ready facility with geothermal heating and cooling systems. Additionally, using carbon-sequestering mass-timber building materials further underscores the commitment to sustainable construction practices.

The Gideon Mitigation site is located within a rural watershed in Surry County, approximately 10 miles north of Elkin and seven miles west of Dobson. The project lies within the Yadkin River Basin, NCDWR sub-basin 03-04-01 and USGS 14-digit HUC 03040101080020, a TLW. The project is comprised of a single easement location along Mill Creek and three unnamed tributaries, totaling 4,782 existing linear feet, which eventually drain into the Yadkin River. The project is between two sections of the 26.14-acre DMS Little Sebastian Site.

The streams proposed for restoration have been significantly impacted by livestock production, agricultural practices, and a lack of riparian buffer. The project proposes to restore 2,283 LF; enhance 1,991 LF; preserve 508 LF of existing stream, generating nearly 3,000 Cool SMUs; and provide water quality benefits for 3,225 acres of project drainage area.

The goal of the Grand Canard Mitigation bank was the cumulative re-establishment, rehabilitation, and enhancement of 247.2 acres of swamp, bottomland hardwood, and emergent freshwater wetlands in accordance with an approved plan. The remaining 24.5 acres will remain as non-mitigation land which will be comprised of existing levees and roads. An Addendum was included to re-establish and rehabilitate 183.1 acres of swamp, bottomland hardwood, and emergent freshwater wetlands. The remaining 3.0 acres will remain as open water and non-mitigation land which will be comprised of remnants of spoil levee and the access road.

When the City of Grand Marais, Michigan, petitioned for a replacement breakwater to increase the safety of its harbor on Lake Superior—the only significant harbor between Munising and Sault Ste. Marie—the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service worked to ensure the protection of piping plover habitat.

Grand Marais was historically a significant contributor of young piping plover to the endangered Great Lakes subpopulation.

RES was engaged to compare plover nesting and reproductive success to habitat configurations over time, from the 1930s to the present. In addition, RES studied lake level changes, shoreline development, shoreland pedestrian use and wildlife interactions. RES evaluated impacts on habitat due to these factors, and predicted changes in the shoreline at 5- and 30-year intervals, to evaluate different alternatives.

RES studies indicated that a sharply angled breakwater would minimally affect piping plover habitat and populations, and that it would instead create new nesting habitat, despite some impacts to young plovers due to gull predation and other factors.

Overall, the breakwater balances the need for a safe harbor with the need to maintain a healthy plover population at Grand Marais.

In 2021, the Town of Dauphin Island secured funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (NFWFGEBF) to restore a coastal marsh habitat in Graveline Bay. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) identified the project as a priority in the Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment Report in 2020. The goal of the project was to restore marsh habitat and the associated species that were lost because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

After Coastal Dredging Company, Inc. dredged approximately 270,000 cubic yards of sand to create 60 acres of marsh mounds, we installed vegetative plantings to restore the ecological integrity of the marsh. Our team planted more than 87,000 marsh plants covering 60 acres. Plant species included Saltmeadow Cordgrass, Smooth Cordgrass, and Black Needlerush. 600 cubic yards of recycled oyster shell from the Alabama Coastal Foundation recycling program were placed on the northern shoreline of the restored marsh by Coastal Dredging Company, Inc.

Back-barrier marsh ecosystems are important, because they provide a diverse habitat for fish and wildlife and protect island and inland habitats during coastal storm events. The completed project provides coastal resilience for the community, which includes new habitat for coastal birds, fish, shellfish, and various other wildlife native to the region. Over the next several years, the marsh plants will begin to grow and fill in the marsh mounds on site. The project will be monitored by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab for the next three years.

The 1,067-acre Great Valley Conservation Bank in Merced County consists of grasslands and wetlands, including approximately 117 acres of vernal pools and swales and an additional 950 acres of uplands.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to provide mitigation for impacts to the California tiger salamander within the Central Valley California tiger salamander subpopulation, San Joaquin kit fox within the eastern side of the San Joaquin Valley historical distribution and known occupied habitat lands of the central and western areas of the San Joaquin Valley, and vernal pool preservation within the Southern Sierra Foothills Vernal Pool Region.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• California tiger salamander | KMZ
• San Joaquin kit fox | KMZ
• Vernal pool fairy and tadpole shrimp preservation | KMZ

Pending Credit Types

• California tiger salamander uplands (CDFW approved)
• California tiger salamander aquatic (CDFW approved)

The living shoreline restoration project at Project GreenShores Site II in Pensacola Bay aimed to enhance shoreline habitat, mitigate erosion, and promote ecological sustainability by implementing innovative techniques. By constructing breakwaters to reduce wave energy, this project formed reef and salt marsh habitats, covering approximately 6 to 8 acres of salt marsh and 4 acres of reef along the urban shoreline of Pensacola, Florida. The restoration efforts provide critical erosion control and green armoring for this specific area while promoting the overall health of Pensacola Bay.

To complete this project, the Florida Dept. of Env. Protection tasked RES with growing and installing a substantial number of plants. Close to 152,000 plants were custom grown at RES’ Pointe-Aux-Chene nursery, meticulously nurtured to ensure their adaptation to the local saltwater conditions. The plant composition for this restoration included 112,100 salt-hardened Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) plugs and 39,750 Black Needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) 4-inch containers. Our staff carefully selected these species for their ability to thrive in the designated areas and contribute to the restoration goals.

The installation process involved strategic placement of the plant species in their respective habitats. The Black Needlerush was installed within the high marsh mounds, situated at +2-foot NAVD to +1.25-foot NAVD, while the Smooth Cordgrass was installed in the low marsh areas, ranging from +1-foot NAVD to 0.0-feet NAVD. RES utilized specialized equipment to facilitate the vegetative installation, including an 18-foot deck-over airboat and a 30-foot Carolina Skiff. This machinery was chosen for its maneuverability and efficiency in navigating the waterways and ensuring precise planting.

Within a commendable 10-day period, RES completed the entire planting process, showcasing the efficiency and dedication of our team. To ensure proper documentation and quality control, all final plant materials were recorded using drone footage, capturing the transformed shoreline comprehensively. These records were then reviewed and approved by the project engineer, attesting to the successful implementation of the restoration project.
The living shoreline restoration project at Project GreenShores Site II is a testament to the commitment of RES and its partners to environmental preservation. It highlights the significance of collaborative efforts in creating sustainable and resilient ecosystems. The completed project will not only provide crucial shoreline protection but also foster diverse habitats, contributing to the overall health and ecological balance of Pensacola Bay.

Located in a key wildlife linkage corridor, the Halo Ranch project-specific mitigation solution site contains tidal marsh habitat contiguous with the Petaluma Marsh Wildlife Area with special-status species, including salt marsh harvest mouse, and California Ridgway and black rail. The site is available in whole or in part for species mitigation to offset impacts from projects in the North Bay (see map below). The turnkey site is 51 acres of species habitat mitigation and lies adjacent to the Halo Ranch Mitigation Bank, also managed by RES.

In addition to the Halo Ranch PRM, we also manage the Halo Ranch Mitigation Bank. Learn more about our Halo Ranch Mitigation Bank here.

The Halo Ranch Mitigation Bank is about to receive its first credit release! Located along the Petaluma River adjacent to the Petaluma Marsh Wildlife Area, Halo Ranch is the only bank within the San Pablo Bay and San Francisco Bay (i.e., north Bay) sub-basins offering tidal wetland, seasonal wetland, stream, and riparian credits.

There is potential for adding mitigation credits for special status species credits. Call us to discuss your project needs.

Learn more about the adjoining property, the Halo Ranch Full Delivery/Turnkey Mitigation site, here.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Stream Service Area Map | KMZ 
• Riparian | KMZ
• Seasonal wetland | KMZ
• Tidal wetlands | KMZ

Service Areas

TIDAL WETLANDS
San Pablo Bay
San Francisco Bay (North) West/East Bay
Petaluma River-Frontal San Pablo Estuaries
Corte Madera Creek—Frontal San Francisco Bay Estuaries

SEASONAL WETLANDS, RIPARIAN & STREAM
San Pablo Bay
Napa River
Conn Creek
Petaluma River-Frontal San Pablo Estuaries
Sonoma Creek-Frontal San Pablo Estuaries
Carneros Creek-Frontal San Pablo Estuaries
Tulucay Creek-Frontal San Pablo Estuaries
Corte Madera Creek-Frontal San Francisco Bay Estuaries

Hamilton Ranch Conservation Bank is a 393.7-acre working cattle ranch in Tehama County.  The Hamilton family has practiced wildlife-friendly grazing and ranching operations for decades, and their efforts have worked to sustain the large northern hardpan vernal pool landscape.

Establishment of the Hamilton Ranch Conservation Bank ensures this pristine landscape of vernal pools and blue oak woodlands supporting a rich array of special status plant species and vernal pool crustaceans will be protected in perpetuity. Due to the unique assemblage of species on the site, the USFWS has granted a large service area, including the Dales, Vina Plains, Oroville, Richvale, Honcut, Chico, Doe Mill, and Palermo core vernal pool areas.

Available Credit Types

Download the service area map and KMZ file.  

• Slender Orcutt grass​
• Hoover’s spurge​
• Conservancy fairy shrimp​
• Vernal pool fairy shrimp​
• Vernal pool tadpole shrimp​

​

Other Mitigation Options

• Oak Woodland Restoration

Service Areas

The Hannah Bridge site is located across six parcels totaling 83 acres, four miles south of Four Oaks in Johnston County, NC. Several unnamed tributaries traverse the site and exhibit diminished habitat value as a result of past and ongoing agricultural activities and ditching. The site was identified by RES as having the potential to help meet the compensatory mitigation requirements for stream impacts in HUC 03020201 of the Upper Neuse River Basin. The Hannah Bridge Site may also be utilized to provide riparian buffer mitigation units through the NC Division of Water Resources.

Specific project goals address stressors identified in the watershed and include the following: nutrient removal, sediment reduction, runoff filtration, invasive species treatment, and improved aquatic and terrestrial habitat. The project goals will be addressed through the following project objectives: exclusion of livestock from stream channels and riparian areas, control of exotic invasive species, the addition of large woody debris to stream channels, enhancement of hydrology in existing riparian wetlands, and restoration of historic flow patterns in valleys.

The Hannah Bridge Site includes approximately 8,524 linear feet of stream restoration and enhancement generating 7,046 Stream Mitigation Units (SMU) and 16.7 acres of wetland restoration and enhancement generating 7.26 Wetland Mitigation Units (WMU).

Located on 88-acres within the Upper Falls Lake watershed in the Neuse River Basin, stormwater runoff from this site drained into South Flat River and two of its unnamed tributaries, classified as Class C and Nutrient Sensitive Waters. RES provided mitigation for unavoidable impacts development to improve and protect water quality within the Neuse River Basin. A 20-acre conservation easement was placed on the site, permanently protecting the mitigation components of the site. Within the easement, RES worked to restore and enhance existing riparian areas to generate both Neuse buffer and nutrient offset (nitrogen and phosphorus) credits for impacts in the Upper Falls Lake watershed. Due to years of agricultural land use and selective timbering, natural forested areas were limited within most of the site. RES restored the riparian buffer producing 7.94 acres of buffer credits, with riparian buffer enhancement including 1.75 acres; generating 0.58 acres of buffer credits. As a result, our work produced a total of 8.52 acres of buffer credits on the Site. The remaining acres of riparian restoration area provided 16,775 pounds of nitrogen offset and phosphorus offset credits.

This 32.53 +/- acre nutrient bank’s, located in Halifax County, goal is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Roanoke River watershed via tributaries located within and/or in close proximity to the Bank through the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate certified non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance, including the DEQ Guidance.

RES developed a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and wetland mitigation plan for Heidelberg Materials (HM) to address the impacts from the expansion of their surface mining operations in Romeoville, IL. This project marked the first full HCP approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Chicago Field Office. It is also one of the largest wetland mitigation projects approved by the Chicago Office of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

The plan preserves 531 acres and restores and enhances more than 350 of those acres as part of mitigation for impacts to wetlands (31 acres), Federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly habitat, and State endangered Blanding’s and Spotted turtle habitat. Our team secured a permit from the USFWS in late 2021 from the USACE and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) in early 2022 and began implementation of the restoration plan in late winter of 2022. A key feature of the plan is to transplant a rare, six-acre WMDP from a mining area to a mitigation parcel across the Des Plaines River, which was completed this winter (2024) with our earth-moving sub-contractor, Thornton Equipment.

Project Highlights

• Preserves 531 acres of habitat and buffer
• Restores or enhances 350 acres of wetlands and habitat
• Mitigates 31 acres of wetland impacts
• Mitigates 50 acres of habitat impacts for the Federally endangered Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly
• Mitigates 29 acres of habitat impacts for the State endangered Blanding’s and Spotted Turtles
• Transplanted a rare, 6-acre wet-mesic dolomite prairie
• Allows Heidelberg Materials to continue their mining operations at their Romeoville, IL facility

Project News

https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/Media/Media-Releases/Article/3694526/usace-chicago-district-continues-to-monitor-transplant-of-rare-wetland-ecosyste/

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District is currently conducting a complete rehabilitation of facilities associated with the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee. The Dike contains 32 culverts, which are either being removed or replaced by several projects being implemented through 2023.

RES, then Sandra Walters Consultants, Inc., was responsible for performing all pre-construction environmental tasks and establishing all species, turbidity, and erosion control monitoring protocols, reporting, and environmental training during construction for one of the first projects being implemented—the replacement of culverts 1 and 1A in Glades County.

SWC accomplishments included:

• Prepared and received USACE approval for Environmental Protection Plan.
• Prepared and received USACE approval for Stormwater Pollution Protection Plan (SWPPP) and amendments.
• Processed NPDES authorization.
• Received USACE approval for required species monitor qualifications.
• Conducted all pre-construction species monitoring and received USACE approval for reports.
• Created and implemented environmental education process for construction personnel, including designing and printing waterproof field booklet for onsite use, and designing Powerpoint presentation for training sessions.
• Conducted environmental training for the first six months of construction.
• Conducting species monitoring during the first four months of construction and preparing and receiving USACE approval of all monitoring reports.
• Successfully processed dewatering permit application in two weeks.
• Prepared Boating Maintenance of Traffic Plan for the federal waterway where construction work is occurring and received USACE, US Coast Guard, and FWC approvals.
• Established procedure for turbidity monitoring, including training all personnel, conducted monitoring for the first six months of construction, and prepared and received USACE approval for all required monitoring reports.

RES performed work at Hickory Elementary School using contracts from both Harford County and Harford County Public Schools. RES’s main tasks for this project were replacing a riser, barrel pipe, and clay core in order to perform the principal spillway replacement. A submerged gravel wetland was installed to help with erosion and sediment controls, along with the installation of rip rap outfall areas from incoming stormwater pipes.

In 2021, RES began converting excess land into a tier 1 long-term protected gopher tortoise recipient site through state permitting, species restoration, and habitat enhancement. The recipient site spans approximately 521 acres in Clay County, with 207 acres designated as the recipient site due to its proximity to the native habitat range of the gopher tortoise. The site offers approximately 300 stocking spaces.

Project highlights include:

• Expertise in securing long-term recipient site permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC)
• Innovative habitat restoration and enhancement designs that ensure the preservation of the gopher tortoise and its natural habitat
• Comprehensive management of operations and maintenance activities

To date, we have completed the application for the permit, preparation of burn units for a prescribed burn, and herbicide treatments of nuisance and exotic vegetation.

Highlands Ranch Mitigation Bank provides a reliable solution for those seeking compensatory mitigation for wetland impacts in the Northern St Johns River and Northern Coastal Basin 4. Our bank meets the standards for state and federal freshwater forested UMAM credits, permitted by both the St. Johns River Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Spanning an impressive 1,576 acres in Clay County, our bank is a prime example of pine plantation restoration into mesic flatwoods and sandhill communities. It also boasts both isolated and contiguous wetlands of enhanced mixed forested wetland and bay swamp within the Ocala to Osceola Greenway, promoting environmental sustainability.

The Highlands Ranch Mitigation Bank is also home to a substantial upland habitat that serves as a Gopher Tortoise recipient site.

RES is providing stream restoration credits to Prince George’s County Maryland Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program. The CWP is a Public-Private Partnership formed to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water regulatory requirements. The projects delivered through this contract will be enrolled as part of Prince George’s County Bay TMDL Action Plan, with the associated nutrient reductions credited toward compliance with the Bay TMDL. To date, RES has designed four projects totaling 26,838 LF of restored channel and has completed construction on one. These four projects generate approximately 568 Impervious Acre Credits for Prince George’s County.  

The first project designed and constructed under this contract was the Hillmeade Stream Restoration Project. This project restored 2,862 LF of degraded channel along Horsepen Branch and unnamed tributaries. Horsepen Branch is located in a wooded parcel surrounded by a golf course and single-family residential areas and is traversed by multiple utilities. At the terminus of the project area, Horsepen Branch drains approximately 473 acres of suburban development.  

To execute this project RES performed existing site assessments and geomorphic surveys. Using this data along with Natural Channel Design philosophies and published reference data RES designed a bankfull channel that provided stable banks and frequent floodplain connectivity. Additionally, RES ensured that there were no offsite floodplain rises and performed all necessary hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. RES acquired all state, federal and local permits necessary to execute the proposed work.  

Upon completion of the design and permitting phases of the project, RES’ construction staff used a team of subcontractors and in-house construction crews to execute the project. Construction began in June 2020 and was substantially complete by August 2020. During construction, RES’ design staff remained an integral part of the team making frequent site visits, attending multiple site meetings, and ensuring the proper execution of the design. RES expects that the restoration work completed will deliver at least 211 lbs per year of Total Phosphorus (TP) reduction.  

Islamorada, Village of Islands, in partnership with Reynolds Water Islamorada, extended sanitary sewer service to its incorporated islands of Plantation Key, Windley Key, and Upper and Lower Matecumbe keys. Wastewater is now collected from residential and commercial areas and conveyed to the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment Facility via a transmission main installed along US Highway 1 and under seven channels in FDOT right-of-way utilizing Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) technology.

RES, then Sandra Walters Consultants (SWC), was responsible for acquiring all required HDD environmental permits, including performing all pre-construction data collection tasks.

Work included an extensive marine data collection process in the area of the drill corridors that incorporated more stringent assessment protocols now required due to recent additions of coral species to the federal endangered species list. One of the upland staging area locations also required protected species data collection.

With effective advance coordination and thorough applications, SWC acquired permits from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary within three months of filing the applications, a task that typically takes 12-18 months. SWC and engineers avoided impacts to all wetlands at the staging areas—a major accomplishment that greatly reduced permitting issues.

Specific SWC accomplishments included:

• work with the project engineer to identify corridors and staging areas
• extensive coordination with the staff of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before application submittal
• design of benthic habitat survey methodology to assess seven bridge spans across navigational channels
• coordination with project engineers to develop construction plans that avoid and minimize impacts to natural resources
• supervision of field data collection, conducted analysis of data, and prepared a report presenting benthic data
• preparation of permit applications and all attachments to address all questions raised by permit and review agencies
• filing of permit applications within three months of work inception
• working with agencies to address any remaining questions and make requested revisions to permit documents—with no official Requests for Additional Information (RAIs) to slow the process
• acquired all permits in less than three months from filing applications
• conducted full-time permit environmental compliance monitoring and reporting during the drilling process

The Horseshoe Hills Mitigation Bank, located in Marion County, West Virginia, plays a vital role in restoring and protecting essential aquatic ecosystems and mitigating unavoidable impacts to streams and wetlands. Spanning 328.98 acres, this site has been transformed into a dynamic landscape where valley-bottom streams and expansive wetlands have been revived alongside the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of high-gradient streams that run through the terrain.

The project has successfully restored, enhanced, and preserved 86,564 feet of waterways, revitalizing critical habitats, improving water quality, and restoring the natural flow of hydrological systems. Large valley wetlands scattered across the site now thrive as biodiversity hotspots, supporting native plants, fish, amphibians, and wildlife.

Horseshoe Hills serves as a critical ecological link, reconnecting fragmented aquatic systems and bolstering the resilience of the surrounding watershed. By reversing the degradation of these waterways, this project ensures long-term environmental health, providing cleaner water, flood mitigation, and sustainable habitats for future generations. The Horseshoe Hills Mitigation Bank is a shining example of how thoughtful restoration can renew degraded landscapes and create enduring environmental benefits.

The Howell Woods mitigation site is located in the Upper Neuse River Basin on the Neuse River Floodplain within USGS HUC 03020201. The project includes 27,250 linear feet of stream preservation and 100.6 acres of forested wetland preservation at the Howell Woods Site in Johnston County, North Carolina. The Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center is a non-profit entity owned and operated by Johnston County Community College. The 2,800-acre property is actively managed for timber production, wildlife, fishing, environmental education, and passive recreation.

The Howell Woods site is located between Mill Creek and the Neuse River approximately 7.5 miles southeast of Smithfield. The easement encompasses 135 acres of contiguous Bottomland Hardwood Forest and Cypress-Gum Swamp on the Neuse River floodplain. The Howell Woods easement protects the north side of Mill Creek. The southern side of Mill Creek across from the Howell Woods easement is protected under existing conservation easements established for Westbrook, Cox, and Cox II mitigation sites. An existing DMS mitigation site is also located on the Howell Woods property, resulting in a large mitigation complex within the Neuse Lowgrounds natural area.

The wetland preservation has a mitigation ratio of 5:1, and has a total of 20 wetland mitigation credits.

The Foundation of Longwood University was given the green light by the Interagency Review Team to create the Hull Springs Farm Mitigation Bank in Westmoreland County, VA, back in October 2011. The primary objective of this 214-acre farm was to produce revenue for the university through credit sales while preserving open space and offering educational opportunities for its students and professors. RES was contracted by The Foundation in 2013 to perform data analysis, stream and wetland design, construction, as-built reporting, and performance monitoring, maintenance, and management of the bank.

The stream element of the bank comprises 1,454 LF of stream restoration, 6,012 LF of stream enhancement/preservation, and 16.14 AC of riparian buffer plantings. The wetland component includes 22.27 AC of wetland restoration, 44.8 AC of wetland enhancement, 85.15 AC of wetland preservation, and 22.79 AC of upland buffer plantings. Furthermore, RES established a Nutrient Bank to sell TMDL nutrient offset credits, comprising 57.71 AC of former agricultural land planted to achieve a forested condition. The project, completed in 2017, has generated additional income for Longwood University while also increasing the amount of conserved land on the property.

Previously farmland, the site is now a thriving ecosystem that provides valuable functional benefits to the Potomac River Watershed and offers educational opportunities and revenue for Longwood University.

As Horry County focuses on the probable expansion of necessary infrastructure to accommodate growth within the County, they recognize the need to mitigate unavoidable impacts to the Waters of the US. Accordingly, Horry County Government contracted with RES to develop the Independent Heritage Preserve Wetland Mitigation Bank.

The 3,707-acre site comprises a series of Carolina bays, relic wet pine savanna, xeric longleaf pine sand rim, and non-alluvial swamp forest. In addition to preservation, relic pine savanna will be enhanced by re-initiating a frequent prescribed fire-burning program to enhance the biotic integrity of rare wetland systems and associated plant communities. Not only are these natural communities rare, but they are also considered to be globally unique.

On August 24, 2021, RES received formal approval from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the first endangered bat species conservation bank in Indiana. The Indiana Statewide Bat Conservation Bank (ISBCB) is the first habitat bank in the country to use the protection and restoration of swarming habitat for a federally endangered bat species to generate credits, providing a new option to offset impacts to Indiana Bats.

The ISBCB includes more than 200 acres of high-quality habitat protection and restoration areas in a Priority I hibernaculum and provides staging/swarming habitat for the Indiana bat. The development of the Bank assures that this habitat, which Indiana bats rely on for feeding before entering hibernation and spring migration, will be protected in perpetuity to help preserve this species.

The ISBCB has over 1,200 credits available for project proponents across the state of Indiana.

RES partnered with the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts and the Irvine Nature Center to apply for funding from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund Capital Improvement Grant. The proposal was awarded funding to complete the Irvine Nature Center Stream and Wetland Restoration Project. RES managed and oversaw design, planning, and permitting services which were provided by Biohabitats. Additionally, RES provided construction, invasive control, and planting services. The project also received funding for boardwalks, observation decks and interpretive signs, all which will enhance the visitors’ experience and provide educational opportunities for those who visit the Irvine Nature Center.

The Irvine Nature Center is part of the Jones Falls Watershed. The goal of the project was to transform what was most recently drained agricultural land back into functional wetlands supported by restored streams. RES performed restoration services to 1,381 LF of its waterways and created 60.6 acres of wetlands on the Irvine Nature Center premises. The project was constructed in four phases.

1. In the Eastern Phase RES installed one wetland and restored 594 LF of stream.
2. In the Northern Phase RES installed three wetlands and restored 419 LF of stream.
3. In the Western Phase RES restored 434 LF of stream.
4. In the Central Phase RES installed one wetland and restored 34 LF of stream.

A series of mulch access roads were installed to allow access to each of the phases and were dismantled upon completion. Erosion and Sediments Controls consisted of hardwood matting, temporary bridges, filter log, silt fence, and super silt fence. Pump around systems were installed, as needed, and dismantled per the plans with each phase. Three boulder grade control structures, two downed log structures, 273 LF of riffle, 100 LF of floodplain riffle, and 77 LF of cascade were installed. RES installed approximately 2,000 LF of berm which aided in the creation of the 60.6 acres of wetland. The site was stabilized with hardwood mulch and coir matting.

RES and Biohabitats were committed to implementing creative and environmentally friendly practices throughout this project. To minimize the import of outside materials, dirt generated from the grading efforts of the wetlands was utilized to construct the berms. The berms themselves serve twofold, aiding in the wetland creation while also adding to the Nature Center’s already extensive network of trail systems. RES was allowed to incorporate any cleared trees into the pools of the wetlands to serve as habitat structures. Wood chips that were brought into the site for the mulch access roads were dismantled and reused as the required sediment control to cover all disturbed and graded areas. Planting of the site was completed in Fall 2017 and consisted of 2,183 trees and shrubs.

The Ivey Ferguson site is located within the Upper New Hope Arm of the B. Everett Jordan Lake watershed in Orange County. Stormwater run-off from this site drained into an unnamed tributary of Phils Creek which in turn emptied into University Lake approximately 3.4 miles downstream. Through about 12-acres of a re-forested buffer area, this bank site produced water quality improvements within the watershed. RES planted trees to provide run-off filtration and nutrient uptake along 2,700 linear feet of channel. Due to its location within the sub-watershed, the Ivey Ferguson Bank Parcel has a 40% delivery factor for nitrogen removal and a 19% delivery factor for phosphorus removal.

Storm Water Solution Magazine “Top-Ten Stormwater & Erosion Control Projects for 2013″

The Jack Smith Creek Stormwater Wetlands (JSCSW) project was a partnership between the City of New Bern, North Carolina State University (NCSU), North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (NCEEP), and the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund. RES (formerly Carolina Environmental Contracting prior to 2020 acquisition by RES) was selected to construct a stormwater wetland that currently captures and treats runoff from more than 1,000 acres of both residential and commercial properties in New Bern. This project was significant due to not only the volume of stormwater that it can now accommodate but because it is the largest manmade wetland constructed in the state of North Carolina. 

The design of the JSCSW incorporated a multi-cell treatment approach that moves the water through various cells, adjustable weirs and culverts to maximize water quality improvements as these best management practices (BMPs) remove contaminants while the stormwater travels through the various systems. Each cell was constructed differently to maintain various depths and velocities. These differences among the cells will maximize the diversity in the wetland community to encourage a varied habitat for the better long-term viability of both flora and fauna. 

The project consisted of 25 acres of constructed wetlands, more than 10 acres of preserved wetlands, and 2.3 acres of enhanced wetlands. Over 7,000 of the stream was incorporated into the wetland cells. Work included clearing, grubbing, and grading the wetlands. Nine culverts were installed, three with flap gates. Two concrete water control systems, one vinyl sheet pile weir, rock spreaders, and inlet and outlet pools were included in the design to maintain grade control. A permanent maintenance road was constructed and a pump berm was incorporated in the design to assist with the magnitude of high stormwater flow. 

Over 150,000 native wetland plants, trees and shrubs were planted upon completion of construction that will act as filtering components and also will provide extensive habitat for fish and wildlife.  

This large-scale project was the first of its kind in the state due to the unique nature of the project, the partnership with NCSU and NCEEP, the management of the project, the high visibility of the project due to its innovation, and the large quantity of clearing and grading. 

For more than 20 years, RES provided expert consulting and restoration services to the Jackson County Iron Mine. RES services ranged from permitting to construction of the restoration design, annual maintenance of restored ecosystems and compliance monitoring.

RES assisted in the permitting of an open pit taconite mine that was planned to create a pit nearly one mile long, one-third of a mile wide, and more than 350 feet in depth, centered in Black River Falls State Forest. The project moved toward its ultimate reclamation phase, which commenced long before the mine’s closure.

The ecologically focused restoration plan provided detailed and comprehensive phasing for restoration activities, accommodating ongoing mining activities and the continuing generation of mine wastes. In the early phases of reclamation, RES saw the need for on-site research and developed a native seed nursery on the mine site to propagate local genetic seed stock of native grasses and forbs.

Using this seed source, RES directly seeded a 312-acre tailings basin to create a dry prairie community. Nearly 620 acres of waste-rock dumps were configured and hydro-seeded with native seed stock. Following, the mine’s 43-acre rail yard and processing plant were removed and covered with native sandy soils and restored to prairie.

To stabilize mine wastes and reduce contaminant dispersal, RES used deep-rooted prairie vegetation, which significantly reduced internal leaching and the potential for groundwater contamination.

Restoration techniques encouraged the natural incursion of native plants and wildlife from the surrounding rare plant community known as pine/oak barrens. Because the adjacent state forest encompasses one of the larger Wisconsin populations of the federally endangered Karner Blue Butterfly, RES designed and constructed habitat restoration for this rare species.

Now, a new county park occupies the former mine site. With a 350-foot deep lake, a swimming beach, and an extensive trail system, Lake Wazee has become a vacation destination and a top-rated scuba diving lake.

In all, RES restored 1,340 acres to native prairie and pine/oak barrens, which at the time made it the most extensive restoration in Wisconsin, among the largest mine reclamation projects of its kind in the U.S., and a national model of successful reclamation.

Dakota County needed to establish a wetland bank to mitigate the impacts of existing wetlands on County projects. RES was hired as the ecological contractor to establish native vegetation through three zones of wetlands and uplands. The site was previously in agricultural rotation and sod farming before being converted back to native wetlands. After native seeding, native planting, and vegetation management, the site now predominantly features native plant communities with an exceptional diversity of emergent, wet meadow, and mesic prairie species. RES has achieved or surpassed the performance metrics set for the wetland bank.

RES is providing services for the Jose Marti Park adaptive re-design in Downtown Miami, a ±13-acre riverfront park that faces challenges like tidal flooding during King Tides, hurricane season, intensified storms, and sea level rise. With a focus on resiliency, RES is designing a model/tool kit to adapt the waterfront to existing and future sea level rise, which can be replicated for other properties along the Miami River and in coastal Florida.

In collaboration with our team, RES led the design for civil engineering and nature-based project elements, encompassing innovative stormwater retrofits, water quality treatment, and environmental considerations like living shorelines, green infrastructure, resiliency, and ecosystem restoration. RES is responsible for environmental permitting stormwater features and implementing low-impact development (LID) stormwater retrofits. The design incorporates LID principles, merging stormwater management with functional environmental art and public education. Flood prevention measures will be installed, including tidal backflow prevention valves on existing outfalls and deep drainage wells, which can combat saltwater intrusion.

The project is part of the City of Miami Forever Bond program and has secured grants for various components. Its goals include improving pedestrian waterfront access, fostering social interaction, equity, business development (economy), and ecology, and enhancing the district’s flood reduction and water quality. In 2021, a substantial CBDG grant of approximately $14 million was awarded for the project’s construction. In 2023, $4 million was awarded from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

In 2023, the Jose Marti Park Adaptive Re-Design project became a WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Verified site by the Waterfront Alliance and is the first project in Florida to achieve this verification.

Services included:

• environmental site analysis and impact evaluations
• vulnerability assessments
• resiliency planning
• drainage evaluation, stormwater modeling, permitting, and stormwater management design
• sea level rise adaptive design
• ecological evaluations, such as tree inventory and Florida bonneted bat study
• green infrastructure inventory, assessment, and design
• civil engineering plans, review coordination, and approvals
• grant support
• WEDG documentation for verification

In late 2023, The Department of Energy and Environment awarded RES a grant to undertake a comprehensive ecological restoration project on Kingman and Heritage Islands on the east side of Washington, DC. This turnkey project aims to revitalize these islands, benefiting the local wildlife and enhancing the public visitor experience.

The restoration project will focus on achieving three key outcomes:

1. Reduction of Invasive Plant Species: Our efforts will significantly reduce the abundance of invasive plant species within the conservation area, promoting the growth of native vegetation and restoring ecological balance.
2. Protection and Expansion of Virginia Mallow Population: We will prioritize the protection and expansion of the regionally rare Virginia mallow (Sida hermaphrodita) population, working to create favorable conditions for its growth and proliferation.
3. Enhancement of Native Plant Communities: Throughout the conservation area, we will enhance on-site native plant communities, promoting biodiversity and restoring the natural habitat.

Our approach involves a combination of mechanical control methods to suppress invasive plant populations while preserving the native tree canopy. Additionally, we will implement seeding and planting initiatives to transition the herbaceous stratum into a native species-dominated plant community. Tens of thousands of native trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges, and ferns will be strategically installed to provide an ecological uplift and ensure the long-term health of the islands.

RES has assembled a diverse team of technical experts who will collaborate to design, plan, and implement the restoration project over the next 24 months. Furthermore, we will develop a comprehensive long-term management plan for the conservation area, ensuring the sustainability and continued success of the restored ecosystem.

Through our dedication and expertise, RES is committed to restoring the ecological integrity of Kingman and Heritage Islands, creating a thriving habitat for wildlife, and rejuvenating natural space for the public’s enjoyment.

In the news

• Washington Post: D.C.’s Kingman Island, once a ‘pile of dredge waste,’ is reborn

• Washington Informer: Kingman Island Reopens After Weeklong Cleanup Removes Toxic Debris

• DCist: Kingman Island Closed As D.C. Removes Decades-Old Toxic Debris

The 1,295-acre Kreyenhagen Conservation Bank in Fresno County consists of annual grassland, juniper woodland, a seasonal/riparian drainage, and associated habitats.

The Bank was approved in 2005 by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to provide mitigation for unavoidable permitted impacts to the San Joaquin kit fox within Fresno, Kings, and Kern counties, as depicted in the Service Area map.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• San Joaquin kit fox | KMZ

RES partnered with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to identify and restore wild rice communities and potential new habitat in a 600-square-mile area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Funded with a GLRI grant through the Michigan Stewardship Network, our goal was to increase the number and acreage of wild rice stands on the tribe’s traditional lands to enhance watershed quality, wildlife habitat, ecosystem health, and the tribal community values.

RES collected aerial photos and sensor data to identify existing rice beds and locate suitable shallow-water wild rice habitat for restoration. Ecologists and geospatial staff also joined tribal members in actively restoring wild rice stands via traditional harvesting and planting.

In the fall, of 2010, RES collected high-resolution, multi-spectral aerial imagery and data, along with oblique-angle digital photos that, combined with ground-truthing and software “training,” enabled us to analyze the spectral signatures of the vegetation.

Informed with data and images, RES geospatial and ecological staff identified and mapped specific restoration sites and made recommendations for restoration that contribute to tribal, national, regional, and local goals in the Great Lakes Basin.

The 200-acre Laguna Terrace East Conservation Bank located in Sacramento County consists of vernal pools, vernal swales, vernal pool/swale complex, vernal marsh, seasonal wetland, vernal pool tailings, stock pond, and upland habitats within a larger 549.5-acre property.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for vernal pool preservation, vernal pool fairy shrimp, and Swainson’s hawk. Swainson’s hawk mitigation is available for CEQA permitted impacts within Sacramento County.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Swainson’s hawk | KMZ

Previously Available Credit Types

• Vernal pool fairy shrimp (sold out)

The goal of the bank is to establish, maintain, and protect a freshwater marsh, bottomland hardwood, and bald cypress-tupelo swamp wetland communities as a species-diverse, sustainable ecosystem by restoring unique functions, values, and services. Work required to accomplish these goals includes the restoration of approximately 26.6 acres of bottomland hardwoods, 24.2 acres of swamp, and 200.2 acres of fresh marsh through surface hydrology restoration and vegetation restoration. These actions increase the habitat value for those fishery and wildlife resources utilizing these habitats. The restoration and protection associated with this project will further enhance the longevity of this landmass.

The Larkin Hollow Mitigation Bank, located in Kanawha County, West Virginia, stands as a beacon of ecological restoration, offering critical stream and wetland mitigation to offset unavoidable environmental impacts. Spanning 181.97 acres, this project has revitalized a diverse landscape, combining the restoration of valley-bottom streams with the enhancement and preservation of high-gradient streams and wetlands. Scattered throughout the site, small pocket wetlands now thrive, contributing to a mosaic of interconnected habitats.

The restoration effort has resulted in the recovery, enhancement, and protection of 39,970 feet of waterways, breathing life back into ecosystems essential for water quality, flood control, and wildlife habitat. By reconnecting fragmented aquatic systems and reinforcing ecological integrity, Larkin Hollow ensures a continuous flow of environmental benefits from upstream to downstream. This project exemplifies how human intervention can transform degraded landscapes into resilient ecosystems, fostering biodiversity and securing vital natural resources for future generations.

Laurel Hill Creek Mitigation Bank is a large watershed scale mitigation bank intending to restore and preserve self-sustaining functional stream, wetland, and riparian corridors. Across the Project, approximately 19,000 linear feet of streams and 16 acres of wetlands were restored or enhanced. Project development efforts provide an in-kind replacement for the direct loss or functional degradation of stream and wetland resources that result from unavoidable impacts within the Monongahela River Subbasin or adjacent Subbasins.

The Project was approved and constructed in 2020. The Project is entering its first year monitoring period and is expected to demonstrate outstanding performance.

The 186-acre Liberty Island Conservation Bank is located in the Yolo Bypass in Yolo County and consists of a mosaic of open water, riparian, marsh, and upland (including seasonally inundated grassland) habitat.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and National Marine Fisheries Service to provide mitigation for authorized impacts to salmonids, longfin smelt, Delta smelt, riparian, and tule marsh. The service area for salmonids and Delta smelt includes the boundaries of the Delta, while the longfin smelt service area includes the Delta, Honker Bay, Suisun Bay, Grizzly Bay, San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, the Napa River, and any major tributaries as approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Salmonid preservation | KMZ
• Longfin smelt restoration | KMZ
• Delta smelt preservation/restoration | KMZ
• Tule marsh shaded riverine aquatic | KMZ

Previously Available Credit Types

• Riparian shaded riverine aquatic (sold out)

RES provided construction services for Library Square, a stormwater management project located in downtown Baltimore. Library Square focused on utilizing limited urban space to generate nutrient removal and encourage infiltration of rain water.

RES built and installed three micro-bioretention facilities and a large area of permeable pavers. In addition to the functional improvements, hardscape and landscape features including decorative fence, marble stoop seating areas, and plantings were installed to create a more aesthetically pleasing setting integrated with the surrounding neighborhood.

The goal of this 60.29 acre Nutrient Bank located in Wise County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into local watersheds. It is located within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit codes (HUC) 050702020503 (Pound River-John W Flannagan Reservoir-Cane Creek) and eight-digit HUC 05070202.

The original Little Eva Mitigation Bank consisted of 435.9 acres of bottomland hardwood rehabilitation, 334.6 acres of re-establishment, 13,594 linear feet of stream channel restoration and 59.9 acres of bottomland hardwood riparian buffer restoration. An Addendum was included to establish and maintain an additional 527.8 acres of bottomland hardwood wetland habitat. This mitigation bank provides mitigation to compensate for impacts to Waters of the US, including wetlands, within the Vicksburg District in 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC)s 11140207, 11140206 and 11140202, which includes portions of Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, Vernon and Winn Parishes.

RES provided a turnkey project to deliver up to 1,440 pounds of Total Phosphorous (TP) removal to the Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU). By restoring a stream on the University of Richmond campus, within the City of Richmond, DPU can meet stormwater permit requirements.

RES is partnering with the University of Richmond to restore a 2,300-foot stream on campus through an often unused section. RES is working with a subcontractor to create an Eco-Corridor Master Plan for amenities and a trail along the stream in conjunction with the university. In addition to the 2,300LF stream restoration construction efforts, RES is providing extensive invasive species management.

As a unique feature of the vegetation maintenance, goats were contracted for the project’s initial “hooves-on-the-ground” work. The herd grazed approximately ten acres of forest that had been densely vegetated with non-native invasive plant species.

The site serves as a “working” classroom, hosting multiple classes where University of Richmond students learn about stream conditions, stream sampling, and invasive species. Future work will include bat surveys using sonic recorders. After construction, RES will conduct additional surveys with students to document the restored site conditions.

📰 Lessons in Nature on the University of Richmond campus

Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve (Lockport, IL) and Prairie Bluff Nature Preserve (Crest Hill, IL) contain a rare ecosystem, a wet-mesic dolomite prairie. This habitat is critical to the survival of the federally endangered Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly (HED). When our team arrived on site, areas of invasive species were causing disruptions in groundwater and the functionality of aquatic ecosystems. The floristic quality of the prairie had been in steady decline for years, which impacted HED habitat.

RES, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and Will County Forest Preserve District (WCFPD) took a collaborative approach to planning the installation. We worked together to determine the appropriate ratio and diversity of seed, plugs, and trees at each site to ensure a successful project.

Our team performed invasive species control through selective tree/shrub removal, hand pulling, prescribed burning, mowing, and herbicide applications. Due to the sensitivity of the site and the potential impact on the HED, there was no use of mechanical equipment at Lockport Prairie. In addition to completing the majority of the work by hand, 35 acres of cattails were treated via a wicking application. We used this technique to prevent damage to native herbaceous understory and avoid contamination of the water that flows through the HED habitat.

We collected seed at Lockport Prairie which we grew into plugs and then installed on site to preserve the local genetics in areas that did not regenerate with native cover. In order to promote the connectivity of Lockport Prairie and Prairie Bluff, we disabled agricultural drain tiles throughout the site to restore the natural hydrology. The restoration of the hydrology will promote infiltration which will discharge at the base of the bluff at Lockport Prairie.

This project, which was completed in 2024 provides unique recreational opportunities for the residents of Will County.

The 75-acre Locust Road Conservation Bank in Placer County consists of vernal pools and swales, seasonal wetlands, intermittent drainage, and annual grassland habitats.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to offset impacts to seasonal wetlands, vernal pools, vernal pool fairy shrimp, and Swainson’s hawk. The service area for Waters of the U.S. includes the Lower American River HUC (18020111) and Auburn-Ravine Coon Creek (180201610). The vernal pool creation and vernal pool fairy shrimp service area follows the above-referenced HUCs within the Southeastern Sacramento Vernal Pool Recovery Unit.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Seasonal wetland re-establishment | KMZ
• Vernal pool re-establishment | KMZ
• Vernal pool fairy shrimp restoration | KMZ

Previously Available Credit Types

• Swainson’s hawk (sold out)

The Lodi Mitigation Bank is located in southeast Tennessee, approximately seven miles west of Athens in the western part of McMinn County. This 101-acre project is situated in the upper portion of the HUC-12 Rogers Creek watershed (060200021405) within the HUC-8 Hiwassee River Embayment of Chickamauga Reservoir watershed (06020002), both of which are within the Middle Tennessee River – Chickamauga basin and part of the Level III Eco-region 67 – Ridge and Valley. When complete, the site will incorporate approximately 3.2 miles (16,736 linear feet (LF)) of intermittent and perennial stream channels along Possum Creek and several unnamed tributaries to Possum Creek.

The goal of this 32.41 acres nutrient bank located in Scott County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Chesapeake Bay watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance, including the DEQ Guidance. It is located within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit codes (HUC) 060102050701 (Copper Creek-Grassy Creek) and eight digit HUC 06010205 (Upper Clinch).

The Louisiana Children’s Museum is relocating in 2019 to a larger site in City Park that includes a wetlands feature and a series of associated educational opportunities. To support the museum in its mission, RES donated more than 6,000 plants and provided labor and volunteer coordination for their planting in May of 2018.

The plants were provided by RES’ nearby nursery in Pointe Aux Chenes, Louisiana, and included more than 15 varieties of marsh grasses and bushes. RES’ donation included the plantings, several days of planting labor, and will be working with the museum staff over the next three years to properly maintain these features on the property.

The Lucas Farm Nutrient Bank project, implemented by RES, marks a significant milestone as the first living shoreline nutrient bank in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This pioneering initiative aims to restore and enhance coastal habitats while addressing the pressing issue of nutrient pollution in the bay.

The project has successfully generated nutrient credits, making a tangible impact on water quality and ecosystem health. By establishing a living shoreline nutrient bank, RES developed a sustainable solution that mitigates nutrient pollution, provides valuable ecosystem services, and enhances the resilience of coastal areas.

Recognizing the significance of this project, RES actively collaborated with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to develop a Nutrient Reduction Implementation Plan for living shoreline and stabilization projects, which includes items like a monitoring and maintenance plan and long-term stewardship plan. This collaboration established a robust framework to guide future initiatives in the region’s nutrient trading and ecosystem restoration efforts.

The Lucas Farm Nutrient Bank showcases RES’ expertise in environmental restoration, regulatory compliance, and collaborative partnerships. By pioneering this new approach and collaborating with DEQ, RES is positively impacting the local environment and contributing to the overall restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

This project sets a precedent for future living shoreline projects. It serves as a model for innovative and sustainable solutions to address nutrient pollution and protect the invaluable coastal ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay. RES remains committed to advancing environmental stewardship and driving positive change in coastal communities.

Mammoth North Solar is the first phase of the Mammoth Solar project, one of the largest solar projects in the United States. Mammoth Solar North is estimated to generate 400-megawatt (MW) of energy and provide enough clean energy for 75,0000 households.

In 2020, RES was contracted by Doral Renewables to develop a Vegetation and Soil Management Plan (VSMP) and a Landscape Screening Assessment. These were designed to meet local pollinator-friendly requirements and comply with Pulaski and Starke Counties’ vegetation requirements and the Project’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

Our experts conducted a thorough desktop review of the site and performed an on-site investigation to inform the VSMP. This included recommendations on soil preparation, seed mixes, arrangement, and soil management techniques. Local ordinances required that the facility be screened from viewsheds while enhancing biodiversity, wildlife foraging, and habitat. To meet these requirements, we provided a Landscape Screening Assessment that included a design mix of tree and shrub species including native trees, shrubs, and a tallgrass prairie planting.

The VSMP provided Doral Renewables and SOLV Energy, the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contractor, with expert guidance on establishing and maintaining native, pollinator-friendly vegetation for a large-scale solar facility. The vegetation installed will resist invasive species, prevent erosion, reduce flooding, and maintain growing heights that will avoid shading the solar arrays—significantly reducing project costs over time. The inclusion of pollinator species will also generate key benefits for endangered species and fulfill a crucial habitat need.

In 2021, our team conducted preconstruction temporary- and permanent-seed installation on approximately 2,225 acres. Seeding in advance of the construction has enabled the early establishment of perennial species. These species helped to stabilize the soil during construction and provided the foundation for the long-term vegetative community under the solar arrays after construction. We worked directly with SOLV Energy to install and manage vegetation during construction. Since the installation, our team has paid close attention to managing stormwater and erosion in the areas installed with perennial vegetation.

In 2023, RES contracted directly with the owner, Doral Renewables, to install nearly 13 miles of landscape screening on site.  To accomplish this, we utilized more than 4,000 trees and shrubs and 150 acres of pollinator habitat seed mix. Nearly half of the trees and shrubs were grown in-house at one of RES’ nurseries.

Livestock Grazing

RES partnered with subcontractor, Bope Farm Services, LLC, to manage grazing activities on site. The site features a mixed herd of sheep, alpacas, donkeys, and livestock guardian dogs. Sheep are used for vegetation management. Alpacas and donkeys manage vegetation and serve as guardian animals, protecting against ground and aerial predators. Livestock guardian dogs are also employed to deter predators on site. In addition to overseeing grazing, Bope Farm Services, LLC also provides mowing and herbicide services.

Project Highlights

• The project received the Dual Use Plan of the Year Award at the North American Agrivoltaics Awards Ceremony in 2024
• Comprehensive vegetation planning, installation, and management of native, perennial, and pollinator habitat species on 2,225 acres
• Contracted directly with the Owner for VSMP and Landscape Screening Assessment development, landscape screening installation and maintenance, and long-term vegetation management
• Contracted with project EPC to install and manage vegetation during construction
• SWPPP-compliant project

The Maple View Bank Site is located within the Upper New Hope Arm of the B. Everett Jordan Lake watershed. This section of Morgan Creek and two unnamed tributaries traversed the site and exhibited diminished habitat value as a result of past and ongoing agricultural activities and impervious watershed conditions. This bank site provides water quality improvements within the watershed through approximately 7.63 acres of re-forested buffer area. RES planted trees, providing run-off filtration and nutrient uptake along 2,000 linear feet of channel. Due to its location within the sub-watershed, the Maple View bank parcel has an 89% delivery factor for nitrogen removal and a 71% delivery factor for phosphorus removal.

Shawnee RC&D, a regional non-profit, was concerned about the impact woody invasive species (bush and Japanese honeysuckles, autumn olive, and multiflora rose) were having on the quality of natural woodlands in southern Illinois, particularly in the Shawnee National Forest.

To assist in locating and mapping these alien invaders, RES collected aerial imagery in a 100-square-mile project area using both a high-resolution, multi-spectral aerial camera and complementary geo-referenced oblique aerial photography.

Collection of the imagery was completed in mid-November, strategically timed to seasonal phenology – shortly after the deciduous trees lost their leaves, but before the woody invasive shrubs had lost their foliage.

Processing of the multi-spectral imaging involved methods to ortho-rectify, color balance, mosaic, and stack imagery into four bands including red, green, blue, and near-infrared.

The near-infrared band displays the green leaves of the invasive species as the color red, which is particularly valuable for identifying the target species beneath the leaf-off forest canopy.

The imaging process was augmented by on-the-ground field inspections conducted by a RES ecologist in coordination with a GIS/remote sensing specialist. Data were used to “train” the GIS software to reliably recognize the targeted plant species on the imagery.

Through testing and ground confirmation, we determined that a spectral enhancement technique known as Normalized Vegetation Index which uses the red and near-infrared bands produced the most accurate mapping results.

Refinement and calibration produced maps of very high reliability. Thus, through a least-cost process, RES was able to give agency staff highly precise maps complete with coordinates of thousands of individual plants – facilitating their eventual removal in an eradication program.

Beginning in 2018, RES provided full delivery stream restoration services along Mardella Branch in Baltimore County, MD. This project is one of six that RES implemented under Maryland State Highway Administration’s Full Delivery Stream Restoration Services contract to help meet SHA’s total daily maximum load (TMDL) requirements.

The project was broken down into two distinct reaches (North and South) divided by Offutt Road and totaling 2,881 LF. This project was designed utilizing a Natural Channel Design (NCD) approach while also facilitating more frequent floodplain access during high-flow events. In addition to substantial nutrient pollution reduction, the Mardella Branch restoration generated co-benefits including greater floodplain reconnection, wetland generation, and habitat and biodiversity recruitment post-construction. RES’ responsibility included site selection and coordination with private landowners, design, permitting, construction, and long-term monitoring.

During construction RES utilized mulch and deckmat access roads to limit overall ground disturbance and over compaction of subsoils. Having been involved in the site development allowed for a high-use of site-generated materials; all of the trees that were removed for construction were utilized in the creation of stream structures and additional access paths, and the existing streambed material was utilized in the stream pool and riffle areas. Instream structures and features that were implemented included imbricated toe protection, log sills, log drops, toe wood, live lifts, riffle and pool combinations, and the creation of oxbow wetland within portions of the abandoned stream channel.

The Mardella Branch watershed continues to be rapidly developing with yearly increases in the overall impervious area upstream of this site; the implementation of the RES approach will result in the reduction of 392 pounds of phosphorus, 851 pounds of nitrogen, and 68 pounds of sediment per year for this watershed.

This project required close coordination with several interested project participants and entities including the property owners, SHA, Baltimore County, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and various subcontractors and suppliers. As this stream has a Use III designation and closure period from October 1 through April 30, RES’ coordination and logistics among the project participants allowed for successful and on-time delivery.

The Marston riparian wetland mitigation site is located in Jones County, approximately twelve miles west of Trenton, North Carolina. Ditches on the site were used to promote drainage when the land was under agricultural production. This project restored the main channel, a smaller tributary, and approximately 37 acres of on-site wetlands for the purpose of wetland and stream mitigation. In addition, the site provides riparian buffer restoration and nutrient offset credits. The Marston project restored a “Coastal Plain small stream swamp” and associated buffer area.

In 2017, the Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration (SHA) selected RES to perform Full Delivery Stream Restoration Services on multiple sites throughout the state. Under this contract, RES fully delivered more than 22,000 linear feet of stream restoration at 6 private land sites throughout the state. For each project, RES was responsible for site selection, land acquisition, survey, design, permitting, construction, monitoring, and adaptive management to support the SHA’s Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. RES’ six projects were located in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Frederick Counties.

Exemplary of RES’ design and construction versatility, site-specific restoration approaches were determined by each site’s conditions and implementation feasibility. Across the six projects, RES designed and constructed projects utilizing Natural Channel Design and Integrated Floodplain Wetland approaches, as well as hybrid approaches utilizing techniques from both NCD and IFW, determined on a site-by-site basis.

Site design is a team effort, with designs provided by RES’ in-house stream designers and engineers as well as from staff of our partner firms. This collaborative team provided oversight during construction to ensure project components were built according to approved plans.

Stream construction tasks consisted of mobilization, erosion and sediment control installation, clearing and grubbing, maintenance of streamflow, rock/log structure installation, riffle grade control installation, bank stabilization matting, seeding, and planting.

Projects implemented under this contract include:

• Bens Branch – Frederick Co. – 4,877 linear feet
• Mardella Branch – Baltimore Co. – 2,881 linear feet
• Tarnans Branch – Anne Arundel Co. – 4,421 linear feet
• UT to Broad Run – Frederick Co. – 5,325 linear feet
• UT to Patapsco Creek – Baltimore Co. – 1,462 linear feet
• UT to Talbot Branch – Frederick Co. – 3,132 linear feet

This Permittee-Responsible Mitigation (PRM) project was designed to mitigate for a new pipeline with unavoidable impacts to 450 acres of wetlands in Eastern Louisiana, within a Wildlife Management Area managed by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Restoration of the PRM tracts, contained entirely within the Maurepas Swamp, was coordinated to support proposed freshwater introductions sponsored by various state and federal agencies.

The Maurepas Swamp has been in a steady state of decline since the 1920’s and 1930’s when most of the area was heavily logged for cypress timber. The implementation of diversions and facilitated drainage had increased stagnation of the swamp areas within the Lake Maurepas basin. The lack of freshwater inflow over time has gradually decreased the nutrient load and hampered the growth of forested habitats.

The PRM project sites are in areas that were historically composed of primarily old growth cypress-tupelo swamps with some hardwood component on the ridges of the interior. Restoration and preservation under the PRM covered enhancing 485 acres of bottomland hardwood habitat and 67 acres of cypress/tupelo swamp, and rehabilitating 85 acres of cypress/tupelo swamp. These activities were coordinated with a number of stakeholders, including the ESACE New Orleans District and Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management, to best support the landscape-scape restoration goals for the swamp, and included a donation of land by RES of 7,039 acres of forested wetlands to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for inclusion within the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area.

The Meadow Spring mitigation site is located three miles north of Smithfield and contains three parcels totaling 246-acres in Johnston County. The Site involved the restoration and enhancement of streams and wetland along an unnamed tributary to the Neuse River. The site is located within the Neuse River Basin, below Falls Lake, USGS HUC 03020201 and in the Meadow Spring Creek Watershed, a Targeted Local Watershed (TLW). RES’ efforts resulted in significant ecological improvements including water quality improvement, habitat restoration, and a decrease in non-point source pollution from stormwater and agricultural practices. Our design addressed degraded water quality and nutrient input from farming, items previously identified as major watershed stressors in the 2010 Neuse RBRP. These issues were combated with the restoration of riparian buffers to filter runoff from agricultural operations and improve terrestrial habitat, and through the construction of in-stream structures to improve habitat diversity. In addition to the stream restoration, the site provides nutrient offset mitigation and riparian buffer mitigation through the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) Neuse Riparian Buffer Mitigation program. The buffer and nutrient offset mitigation were developed through a separate banking instrument.

In 2020, RES was contracted to provide natural stable channel design construction services for approximately 3,500 LF of stream as part of a revitalization effort at Memorial Park in Houston, TX.

Once restored, this stream will flow under the Land Bridge and daylight south of Memorial Drive, increasing the connectivity of vital, native habitats within the park. Restoring this stream will also provide a riparian corridor for wildlife and increase the diversity of plants within this native landscape.

The construction scope of work includes stream grading, installation of toe wood, log vane, floodplain block, brush mattress, and constructed riffle structures. After the structures were installed and grading completed, Our team installed coir matting along both sides of the channel to prevent erosion. Once the coir matting was installed, we planted native bare roots, aquatic plugs, and live stakes along the stream corridor to promote bank stabilization.

Due to the heavy use of the park system for recreational use by the public, we constructed the stream in two phases. The first phase, consisted of the first 850 LF and was constructed in 2021. The second phase, consisted of 2,650 LF and was constructed in the summer of 2022. This phased approach to stream construction allowed the park to remain open to the public during active construction.

Project Highlights

• Construction of natural stable channel design
• Planting of native bare roots, aquatic plugs, and live stakes

RES was selected as subcontractor to Shooter and Lindsey, Inc. to aid in a portion of the reclamation and restoration of 100 acres of previously inaccessible and ecologically distressed parkland as part of the Eastern Glades project at Memorial Park.

Our team planted more than 50,000 aquatic plants, comprised of more than 20 different native species, in the shallow areas of the five-acre Hines Lake near the boardwalks. These native aquatic species support 1.5 acres of emergent wetlands. The species planted in Hines Lake were specifically chosen due to the numerous benefits they provide this ecosystem. The fruit of these plants provides food for waterfowl and other bird species, while the flowers attract bees and other insects, such as dragonflies. These plants also provide aquatic habitat that helps promote and sustain wildlife, including frogs, ducks, and fish. In addition to the numerous benefits to the biota of the area, these plants also play an integral role in stormwater management, cleaning the stormwater that flows through the Lake on its way to Memorial Park’s largest tributary, Buffalo Bayou. For example, Pickerelweed has a dense, mat-like root system that can trap and hold sediment in place and withstand heavy flooding, helping to prevent erosion. Other species planted within Hines Lake, include, but are not limited to, Arrow Arum, Smooth Rush, Softstem Bulrush, Powdery Flag Thalia, Watershied, and Maidencane.

In addition to planting native aquatic plants, our experienced crew, led by a certified herbicide applicator, performed invasive management via herbicide application to ensure that native plants have the best chance of survival.

Project Highlights

• Planted over 50,000 aquatic plants in the shallow areas of the 5-acre Hines Lake and near the boardwalks, creating 1.5 acres of emergent wetland
• Installed 20 different native wetland species
• Provides stormwater management and aquatic habitat for local biota
• Managed invasive species via herbicide application

The goal of this 28.0 acre Nutrient Bank located in Northampton County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate nonpoint nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site primarily consists of crop production.

There have been three phases to the restoration efforts at Miesville Ravine Park Preserve (MRPP). Dakota County’s goal is to restore lost ecosystems such as returning agricultural fields back to native prairie and enhancing degraded ecosystems like bluff prairies and overgrown woodlands. During restoration efforts, habitats are managed with the use of fire and other industry techniques.

RES was awarded Phase 1 (2016) and Phase 3 (2020) of this restoration project. Each phase included site preparation, significant woody removal on steep slopes, native seeding, vegetation management, and follow-up woody control. Phase 1 resulted in the enhancement of ravine woodlands and the restoration of native prairies. These prairie areas showed a great amount of diversity and were well established after only a couple of growing seasons. Woody removal efforts resulted in the re-establishment of rare plant populations, including marble seed and cream gentian.

Phase 3 of the project resulted in a significant reduction in the woody growth of the historical savannas and bluff prairies on site. In addition, there was an extraordinary response from suppressed native prairie plants. The prairies, savannas, open woodlands, and ravines on site are now more representative of the landscape that historically covered the area.

The Minnesota Zoological Garden (the Zoo) hired RES to provide an ecological restoration and management plan (RMP) to use as a tool for improving and preserving ecological health of their lands and waters. We worked closely with Zoo staff to develop a stewardship vision and goals, focus the plan on improving biodiversity and ecosystem health, and integrate the restoration work into the visitor experience. The resulting long-range RMP, which Minnesota’s Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment supported with funds, includes a natural resource inventory to document the current state of plant communities and animal habitats, revisions to land cover mapping, development of management units and restoration tasks, and a budget for implementation.

In developing the plan, we divided the Zoo’s 485 acres into three areas: outdoor exhibits, the built environment, and the 282-acre natural area. The Zoo’s vision for its natural environment is to establish the full spectrum of habitats indigenous to the region, from oak forest to oak savanna and prairie, and various wetland communities. Within the natural area, there are 16 different land cover types, representing plant and open water communities. Unusual wetland habitats are present: vernal pools and northern rich fen. Preserving and increasing the diversity, functionality and beauty of these rare wetlands and other critical natural resources is a critical goal of the RMP.

The RMP also provides instructions for adaptive, long-term management. This includes annual ecological monitoring reports to document and assess restoration progress and provide specific recommendations for subsequent management efforts.

With incorporation of the RMP, the Minnesota Zoo can use its extensive wild spaces as living exhibits to demonstrate land stewardship. The plan will make the Minnesota Zoo a showcase for ecological restoration and contribute to the conservation of native Minnesota plant and wildlife communities. The plan serves as a guide for citizen science endeavors and as an educational backdrop for the School of Environmental Studies.

The Morningside Neighborhood has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding. Climate change has contributed to an increased risk of flooding in the area. This flood infrastructure project helps the community to be more resilient to flooding. The benefits of the project are balanced across the neighborhood. The flood risk reduction project also included:

• Natural resources restoration in upland areas
• Nature trails and bridge crossings at two locations at Weber Park
• Improved pedestrian access to the park with some ADA-compliant paths in Weber Park
• Rebuilt sports fields in impacted areas with new turf and irrigation systems

RES was awarded the restoration and management contract following the initial infrastructure project. The scope of work included site preparation, native seeding, and planting. During the project, RES planted more than 12,000 native trees, shrubs, and plants. In addition, staff provided vegetation management to ensure proper establishment.

CF Industries had completed a forested wetland mitigation project near their Claremore, Oklahoma facility, but found that over time, the site wasn’t performing to the standards required by the USACE.

RES field staff conducted an ecological assessment of the project to determine soil and hydrology condition. This analysis found that watershed conditions and in-stream restrictions were preventing the quantity and timing of surface water flows to sustain wetland hydrology and support vegetation.

Ecologists developed a new mitigation plan to address these issues, and RES restoration crews installed a variety of wetland herbaceous species as well as 3,200 forested wetland trees on slightly elevated tree islands. Hydrological and vegetation monitoring continues to occur to evaluate progress and inform adaptive management strategies.

The bank’s restoration objective was to restore approximately 435 acres of wet longleaf pine savannah and 160 acres of wet slash pine-pond cypress woodlands; rehabilitate approximately 651 acres of wet longleaf pine savannah and 361 acres of wet slash pine-pond cypress woodlands; restore/rehabilitate 23 acres of mixed bedded and non-bedded longleaf pine savannah; restore/rehabilitate 287.2 acres of longleaf pine flatwoods as upland buffers/inclusions; and enhance 369 acres of bayhead swamp.

The Mud Creek Stream Mitigation Bank site is in east central Tennessee, approximately 27 miles northeast of Crossville in the central part of Morgan County in the town of Wartburg. The site has one main access point located on the northern side of Letory Road (36.107390, -84.571612). Approximately 34 acres of this property is located within the HUC-12 Middle Emory River watershed and the remainder of the property, approximately 914 acres, is located within the HUC-12 Crooked Fork watershed. These watersheds are both located within the HUC-8 Emory River watershed, which is within the Upper Tennessee basin and falls on the line of the Level III eco-regions 68 (Southwestern Appalachians) and 69 (Central Appalachians). The site will incorporate approximately 6.9 miles (36,234 LF) of headwater intermittent and perennial stream channels along the main channel and several unnamed tributaries to Mud Creek.

Mule Train Mitigation Bank, named for mules trained onsite and relocated to support Grand Canyon tourism, embodies a commitment to preserving nature while fostering sustainable development. Over the past eight months, five construction crews from around RES crafted over 17,000 linear feet of stream channels, blending innovation with environmental stewardship.

The Mule Train Mitigation Bank project benefits the Gallatin ecosystem and surrounding communities. Through ecological restoration efforts, the project enhances biodiversity, promoting the health and resilience of the local ecosystem. Furthermore, by incorporating natural floodplain areas and improving water flow dynamics, the mitigation bank plays a crucial role in reducing flood risks and safeguarding nearby communities from potential disasters.

The Nahunta Swamp riparian mitigation site is located in Wayne County, North Carolina approximately eight miles northeast of Goldsboro. All project properties are located adjacent to Nahunta Swamp. The entire project site is approximately 249 acres in size, with approximately 126 acres of prior-converted cropland. The Nahunta project restored “Coastal Plain small stream swamp,” and “non-riverine hardwood forest” communities. Stream and wetland restoration involved raising the bottom elevation and re-establishing a normal pattern on six of the tributaries draining into Nahunta Swamp. These measures raised the local water table and restored wetland and stream hydrology on the mitigation site. Riparian buffer restoration included restoring a hardwood forest community. The entire mitigation area is protected with a permanent conservation easement. The mitigation practices have resulted in approximately 33.5 acres of riparian buffer restoration and 164,158 pounds of nitrogen offset credit.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provided a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to evaluate improvement alternatives for the NASA Causeway Bridge. The existing bascule bridge is approximately 54 years old and consists of two separate structures approximately 2,993 feet long, accommodating eastbound and westbound traffic. The bridge is currently the only passage for space freight moving between the processing facilities in Titusville and the Kenedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral Space Force Station launch pad. The bridge has failed safety inspections, and a key concern with the space freight is the carrying capacity of the bridge, as well as the horizontal and vertical navigational clearances, which are pivotal to the transportation of oversized freight, at times exceeding 40-60 feet in height above mean high water. The PD&E Study produced the required engineering, environmental, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation and clearances to proceed to the Design Phase. The PD&E and Design Phases were overlapped to condense the overall project construction schedule to address safety/functional concerns. 

RES’ staff conducted field evaluations, including seagrass/benthic surveys, collected and analyzed data for wetlands, protected species, and essential fish habitat, and prepared a Natural Resource Evaluation Report documenting potential impacts with each of the project alternatives. Work also included participation in public meetings and hearings. Both phases of the project required close coordination with NASA and federal and state regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the St. Johns River Water Management District. 

Highlights

• Agency coordination included SJRWMD, FDEP, USFWS, USCG, NMFS, NASA, and Space Florida. ​
• Seagrass surveys and evaluation of Essential Fish Habitat.  ​
• Worked with design engineers to prioritize avoidance and minimization of seagrass impacts.​
• Coordinated with NASA, SJRWMD, and NMFS to negotiate using an offsite mitigation project and excess water quality treatment to offset secondary impacts to seagrass habitat and wetland impacts.

To assist in mining operations planning, RES and partners performed a baseline botanical survey on 3,200 acres of native rangeland administered by the Bureau of Land Management on the east flank of the Singatse Range in Mason Valley, Nevada. The survey was used in preparation of an Environmental Assessment for exploration drilling at the site under NEPA.

RES conducted extensive field work and surveys to ascertain the presence and probability of the presence of special status and T&E species based on the appropriateness of habitat and ecological settings. RES also monitored for noxious and invasive species.

The project area consists of steep slopes, rolling hills, rockslides, washes, bed rock flats, ridge tops, and scree-covered slopes. Upland vegetation in the Northern Basin and Range eco-region is generally dominated by saltbush-greasewood associations (Atriplex-Sarcobatus).

RES reviewed and verified the Ecological Site Inventory and NRCS soils information data, as well as Nevada Natural Heritage Program and Nevada Division of Wildlife data. A GPS log was maintained during the field survey work to assure proper coverage and documentation of field findings.

To identify ash trees and other hazard trees, the RES Geospatial team provided LiDAR mapping, high-resolution multi-spectral imagery, and vegetation mapping and analysis for 245 linear miles in a corridor of mixed voltage transmission lines in the state of New York.

Aerial imagery and reflectance values associated with forest canopy were used for the distinction of species and conditions. Ash tree and hazard tree identification were completed using a combination of LiDAR and imagery data.

The project team utilized an object-based supervised classification method for delineating and characterizing tree canopy extents using the following steps for this cutting-edge classification system:

• Training Data: Geo-located points associated with known tree species, used to inform the “training” of a supervised classification strategy
• Data Segmentation: Rule-based automated process which generates polygons that represent key features of interest, based on input data (LiDAR and orthophotography)
• Classification: Utilizes segment attributes (spectral characteristics: spectral reflection, the size of an object, and its texture, shape, and context) associated with delineated objects for classifying feature type or tree canopy

RES is developing the proposed the Newark Slough Wetland Mitigation Bank (Bank) on approximately 65.4 acres of property along the San Francisco Bay in Newark, Alameda County, California. This former tidal marsh habitat was manipulated for the production of salt, with the native soil and restorable connection to tidal hydrology still intact. As a result, RES believes the property offers a great opportunity to restore tidal wetlands and endangered species habitat consistent with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Tidal Marsh Recovery Plan and other regional plans covering the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

The Bank is proposed to provide mitigation for including tidal wetlands under Section 404/401 of the Clean Water Act as well as the State’s Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. In addition, the Bank will offer conservation credits for saltmarsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris), and Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus) (formerly known as the California clapper rail, and Rallus longirostris obsoletus). The Bank is currently being reviewed by the Interagency Review Team (IRT) members, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), and USFWS.

Restoration of the Bank property will rehabilitate the former mosaic of tidal wetlands, mudflats, and previously existing channels. Wetland functions such as short-term storage of water, energy dissipation, moderation of groundwater discharge, nutrient cycling, organic matter export, retention of particulates, removal of elements/compounds, and maintenance of plant and animal communities will be restored as a result of the project. The rehabilitation of the Bank property will also improve the connection to adjacent existing tidal marsh habitats and improve the ability for sensitive wildlife species to travel between natural landscape blocks along the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Saltmarsh harvest mouse | KMZ
• Ridgway’s rail | KMZ
• Tidal marsh and non-wetland waters | Tidal marsh KMZ | Non-wetland waters KMZ

The Nookachamps Wetland Mitigation Bank (“Bank”) is a 282-acre site along the Skagit River in Skagit County, Washington. Many of the historic forest and wetland habitats in the Skagit River floodplain had been replaced with agricultural uses. As a result, off-channel sloughs, floodplain wetland, and riparian habitats were limited and severely degraded along most of the lower Skagit River.

The main ecological goal of the Bank is to enhance and restore these much-needed habitat types within the Skagit River system and re-establish the critical functions of wetlands and riparian habitats within the historic floodplain. Before the restoration activities, the Bank site was actively farmed in row crops, was hydrologically disconnected from the Skagit River, and provided limited wildlife habitat and wetland functions.

The Bank now consists of a mosaic of 241 acres of re-established floodplain wetlands, floodplain forest, open water channels, and riparian habitats. Historic habitats, hydrologic regimes, and connectivity to the river have been restored through grading, the planting of native vegetation, and the installation of habitat features such as woody debris. The restoration activities at the Bank have successfully enhanced degraded habitats within the Skagit River Basin, resulting in improvements to critical water quality and hydrologic functions. The Bank is also within critical habitat for Puget Sound Chinook salmon and bull trout, thus providing important off-channel rearing habitat for Skagit River salmonids.

The implementation of the Bank was developed in coordination and partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal entities. An Interagency Review Team approved the mitigation bank comprised of representatives from EPA, USACE, the Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Skagit River System Cooperative representing the Sauk Suiattle Indian Tribe and the Swinomish Indian Community.

Project Highlights

• Within Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 3
• Provides habitat for Puget Sound Chinook Salmon and Bull Trout (no salmonid conservation credits at this time)
• Restored habitats include channel/palustrine emergent (PEM) wetlands, palustrine scrub-shrub (PSS) wetlands, palustrine forest (PFO) wetlands and riparian floodplain forest habitat Delete riparian floodplain forest, channels, and floodplain wetland

Service Area

• The wetland credit service area extends within Water Resources Inventory Area 03 (WRIA 03), located in the Lower Skagit River Basin, but is not all-encompassing, as shown in the service area map (link below).
• Buffer mitigation may be used within Skagit County as approved on a case-by-case basis.

Approving Agencies

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Washington Department of Ecology
• City of Mount Vernon
• Skagit County
• Skagit River System Cooperative

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Wetlands | KMZ

RES was retained by the Columbia Land Conservancy and AKRF to perform a Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) and Program Suitability Plan (PSP) for the future North Bay Recreation Area in Hudson, New York. The Columbia Land Conservancy, working with and on behalf of the City of Hudson and in partnership with Columbia County, requested a conceptual master plan for the site to include passive recreational trails, restored and protected areas of habitat, picnic areas, an outdoor events space, a kayak/canoe launch in the North Bay, a possible outdoor sculpture space, and a boardwalk and viewing platform.

Situated along the Hudson River, the site includes an existing 20-acre capped landfill, approximately 120 acres of surrounding land with brownfield industrial remnants, and significant habitat. The site contains a Class 1 stream-fed freshwater marsh, which is affected by the tidal influxes of the Hudson River and is part of the larger Stockport Creek and Flats area, which has been deemed by the State of New York as a significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat. The Stockport Creek and Flats Habitat provides irreplaceable spawning areas for fish and critical nesting and feeding areas for waterfowl during seasonal migrations.

From the NRI of the North Bay site, RES created a series of overlay maps. The overlay maps graphically represented the findings from the NRI and were compared and weighed against the master plan program goals and were communicated visually through a Program Suitability Plan (PSP). The PSP formed the foundation from which the master plan was derived by classifying different zones of the site from most to least suitable areas for development. The PSP also identified potential areas of habitat restoration while exploring opportunities for making larger physical and symbolic regional connections to the adjacent Greenport Conservation Area, The Hudson River Valley, The Catskill Mountains, and surrounding neighborhoods, schools, and parks within the City of Hudson.

North Bay Village (NBV), an island community, is developing a new Civic Park, which is funded by two grants, the first from Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) and the second from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Land and Water Conservation Fund (L&WCF) grant, totaling over $900,000. RES was assigned to the project by an NBV Commissioner, due to our experience with living shorelines and Biscayne Bay permitting regulations.

RES is responsible for environmental site analysis, engineering, and permitting of this unique living shoreline and public waterway access project. To expedite permitting, RES performed a benthic survey under an initial task order before project design authorization, which mapped the locations and quality of seagrasses, corals, and benthic resources in the project area. RES worked with the multi-disciplinary project team, including landscape architects, civil/structural/coastal/environmental/electrical engineers, planners, scientists, stakeholders, and university advisors to develop a hybrid living shoreline plan that avoided all seagrass resources and minimized the project footprint to expedite permitting of in-water features. The grants require the project to include a non-motorized boating dock for public access, a picnic area with a pavilion, a nature trail with signage, lighting, landscaping, and a bike rack. Replacement of the existing seawall and a children’s splash pad were additions to the project during project implementation and approved by the Village Commission.

The living shoreline is designed to be resilient to meet the Village’s new seawall code, which requires adaptation to sea level rise and includes structural stabilization for this island community, which currently consists entirely of seawall/bulkheads at the waterfront edge. Innovative design elements such as the living seawall panels/cap fascia with ecological concrete and textured biophilic face were developed during the project design by RES, the coastal and structural engineers, ecological concrete manufacturers, Village staff, as well as an advisory team from University of Miami Civil Engineering department. Environmental permitting is the critical pathway for the construction of the living shoreline and ADA-accessible floating kayak dock. RES has worked with the project design team to streamline the design and permitting timeline to meet grant requirements. The living shoreline design is prepared to self-mitigate to environmental resources, subject to agency approval.

Construction is planned for late 2024.

This project, for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Mitigation Services (DMS), is for the delivery of water credits. The project covers the delivery of ecological restoration credits for NCDOT and DMS in the form of 35+ full delivery/turnkey projects, generating $70 million worth of water quality improvements. It comprises 270+ riparian acres generating 260+ credits, 170+ non-riparian acres generating 100+ credits, 284,000+ LF of stream generating 227,000+ credits, and 65 acres of buffer.

Recipient of a 2017 Bubba Award for Best Stream Restoration, presented by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network

In 2012, Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works (DPW) contracted RES’ Angler Construction division to restore approximately 3,000 linear feet of main-stem stream, 900 linear feet of tributary drainages and seven acres of wetlands on the North Branch of Cypress Creek. The restoration utilized many techniques to manage the stormwater discharge in the main channel and its tributaries while creating floodplain wetlands that transition to tidal waters and removing significant pollutant load from the upstream impervious area.

The project design created an open water and shallow wetland feature to attenuate stormwater flows and reduce peak discharges through the system. Additionally, regenerative stormwater conveyances were installed to convey flow from road-based culverts. The main channel was restored to flow out of the headwater wetland into a single thread channel that conveys flow through rock and log step pools into an anastomosed or DA-type channel, which is a stream with multiple channels and islands. The middle reaches along the North Branch were excavated and filled to create floodplain wetlands. Old dam embankments were lowered, repaired, and graded to impound shallow water in the wetlands. The transition from the floodplain wetlands to the tidal channel section was reconstructed as an E-type channel to provide a gradual riffle that reconnected the tidal channel to its floodplain. This riffle allows for fish passage from the tidal area into the floodplain wetland impoundments and as far upstream as the headwater wetland.

Structures installed by RES included:

• Fifteen cobble weirs
• Fifteen sandstone outfalls 
• Six floodplain grade control structures (cobble/sandstone mix)
• Four log grade control structures
• Nine boulder cobble cascades
• Six log/ boulder step-pools

Over 25,000 native plants added to the habitat creation throughout the project site. A diversity of plant species was used to create both upland and wetland habitat.

The 811-acre North Delta Fish Conservation Bank (Bank) is located on Liberty Island within the Yolo Bypass in Yolo County, California. The Bank lies on the northern tip of the island next to the Liberty Island Conservation Bank. Liberty Island is situated within the Cache Slough Complex, a critical portion of the North Delta Habitat Arc, which is an area positioned to provide some of the best opportunity to restore, recover, and protect native Delta fish species, including Delta smelt, green sturgeon, Chinook salmon, and steelhead. The site is also located in critical habitat for Delta smelt, green sturgeon, Chinook salmon, and steelhead.

The goal of the North Delta bank is to restore, enhance and manage habitat beneficial to Delta fish species. Restoration activities at the Bank will create and enhance accessible rearing habitat consisting of tidal marsh complex (a mosaic of tidal emergent marsh, seasonal wetland, interior riparian scrub shrub, and shallow open water habitat), tidal channel, open water, upland level, tule shaded riverine aquatic (SRA), and riparian SRA.

The bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and National Marine Fisheries Service for projects requiring salmonid, Delta smelt, and longfin smelt mitigation. The service area for salmonids and Delta smelt includes the boundaries of the Delta, while the longfin smelt service area includes the Delta, Honker Bay, Suisun Bay, Grizzly Bay, San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, the Napa River, and any major tributaries as approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Salmonids | KMZ
• Delta smelt | KMZ
• Longfin smelt | KMZ
• Riparian shaded riverine aquatic | KMZ
• Tule shaded riverine aquatic | KMZ
• AB 360

The 612-acre North Suisun Mitigation Bank located in Solano County consists of preserved and re-established vernal pools and swales, preserved and re-established California tiger salamander breeding and upland habitat, playa vernal pools, seasonal drainages, and annual grassland.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for impacts to vernal pool habitats, and credits include vernal pool re-establishment, vernal pool fairy shrimp preservation, vernal pool tadpole shrimp preservation, California tiger salamander, and Contra Costa goldfields. The service area for vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and Contra Costa goldfields is consistent with the Solano-Colusa vernal pool region. The California tiger salamander service area includes portions of Colusa, Yolo, Sutter, Sacramento, Solano, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin Counties.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• California tiger salamander: Service area map | KMZ
• Vernal pool fairy and tadpole shrimp preservation: Service area map | KMZ
• Contra Costa goldfields: Service area map | KMZ

Previously Available Credit Types

• Vernal Pool re-establishment (sold out)

The Ohlone West Conservation Bank is a 640-acre property in Southern Alameda, California, which was developed on family land to protect and maintain its rich habitats in perpetuity. The Bank was established in December 2016 to compensate for unavoidable impacts and to conserve and protect covered species and habitats. The Ohlone Ranch encompasses a mosaic of oak woodland, annual grasslands, and chaparral scrub interspaced with springs, seeps, and confirmed breeding ponds for California tiger salamander and California red-legged frog.

Ohlone West Conservation Bank is the only bank with credits for all three federally-threatened species of the California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, and Alameda whipsnake. The property is rich in abundance and diversity of native plant species and serves the mitigation needs of a unique setting within the Bay Area.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• California tiger salamander | KMZ
• California red-legged frog | KMZ
• Alameda whipsnake | KMZ

Service Areas

The Old Oak Mitigation Bank, located in Preston County, West Virginia, has successfully provided essential stream and wetland mitigation to offset unavoidable environmental impacts. Portions of the site and surrounding parcels, once degraded by timbering and agricultural activities, have undergone comprehensive restoration and enhancement, revitalizing streams and wetlands that were in critical need of intervention. Meanwhile, other areas of the site, largely untouched by human activity, have been preserved to protect their ecological integrity.

This 189-acre project now reflects a balanced landscape, blending restored valley-bottom streams and wetlands with enhanced high-gradient streams alongside preserved areas of pristine habitat. Scattered pocket wetlands contribute to biodiversity by providing crucial habitat for wildlife. The project has resulted in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of 45,109 feet of waterways, stabilizing hydrological flows, improving water quality, and creating resilient ecosystems.

The Old Oak Mitigation Bank stands as a testament to effective environmental stewardship. It restores degraded landscapes while preserving untouched ecosystems. This project ensures lasting ecological benefits, from healthier waterways to thriving wildlife habitats, fostering a sustainable future for the watershed.

The 273-acre Pajaro River Mitigation Bank in San Benito County consists of a mosaic of 125.78 acres of upland and 147.59 acres of wetlands. The wetland habitats on the Bank consist of previously existing natural wetlands as well as constructed seasonal marsh, semi-permanent emergent marsh, and seasonally open water/mudflat habitats.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for impacts to Wetland/Waters of the U.S. occurring within the Pajaro River HUC (18060002).

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Wetland/Waters of the U.S. | KMZ

RES was an active team member for the Parklands of Floyds Fork Project in Louisville, Kentucky.  The purpose of the project was to establish a greenway along the perennial stream Floyds Fork in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky that would consist of a network of trails, roads, parks, and associated amenities along approximately 3,200 acres and distributed over 19 miles.

RES was awarded the Paxton Creek Sediment Reduction MS4 project by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) in the summer of 2020. This project marked the second time PennDOT procured sediment reduction for MS4 compliance through a turnkey, performance-based contract known as ‘design-build-operate-maintain.’ RES guaranteed the turnkey delivery of over 800,000 pounds of sediment reduction, the equivalent of 5,400 linear feet of stream and five acres of wetland restoration.

In a unique approach, PennDOT collaborated with three municipal partners, Capital Region Water, Susquehanna Township, and Lower Paxton Township, to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) to generate sediment reduction benefits for all parties involved. RES was responsible for siting, designing, permitting, acquiring property interests, constructing, inspecting, operating, and maintaining the BMPs within the project scope. The ultimate goal was to demonstrate improved water quality in urbanized area sediment-impaired waterways within the Paxton Creek watershed.

RES obtained the rights to implement three separate projects within the search area, strategically selecting the most cost-effective locations. The selection process considered the portion of the Paxton Creek watershed covered by the three municipal partners. To ensure adherence to established standards, RES was required to prepare a pollutant reduction plan and calculate sediment reduction using the Chesapeake Bay Protocol, a framework based on an expert panel.

Through this collaborative effort between RES, PennDOT, and the three municipal partners, the Paxton Creek Sediment Reduction MS4 project aims to significantly reduce sediment pollution within the watershed, improving water quality and meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

“My office actually looks out over a little gully here, and when it would rain, it would be a chocolate milk log flume. 810 feet deep of just ripping, I mean, absolutely ripping water. Now [post restoration] when it rains, it’s this wonderful meandering clear stream. I mean, it worked literally, like overnight,”

Tim Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission

The Pea Hill Branch Project aims to stabilize and restore 4,560 linear feet of a straight, moderately wide, low-slope valley. The existing stream within this valley is deeply incised and highly entrenched, with actively eroding banks. Pea Hill Branch and its unnamed tributary (UNT) drain approximately 87 acres of densely developed residential property at the project’s terminus.

Construction began in March 2024 and is scheduled for completion in early fall 2024. RES anticipates that the restoration efforts will achieve significant annual reductions of 284 pounds of phosphorus, 554 tons of sediment, and 760 pounds of nitrogen, resulting in over 500 Impervious Acre Credits.

The Bank provides 187.5 acres of BLH to compensate for unavoidable wetland impacts for the Vermilion-Teche Basin.

The Pennsylvania Statewide Bat Conservation Bank is the first U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)-approved species Conservation Bank of its kind in Pennsylvania. Over the course of three years, RES collaborated with the USFWS Pennsylvania field office to select a site, develop a crediting methodology, and finalize the first endangered species conservation banking instrument in the State. The purpose of the Pennsylvania Statewide Bat Conservation Bank (Bank) is to provide and protect high-quality self-sustaining bat habitat to offset statewide impacts to the federally listed Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and its habitat. This objective supports the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (87 Stat. 884, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), which was enacted to ensure the protection of endangered species such as the Indiana bat. This objective is also consistent with the policies described in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mitigation Policy (46 FR 7644-7663, January 23, 1981) and Guidance for the Establishment, Use, and Operation of Conservation Banks (68 FR 24753, May 8, 2003). Conservation banking creates a collaborative incentive-based approach where habitat for listed species is treated as an asset rather than a liability.

By permanently protecting high-quality forested habitat in a critical Indiana bat habitat zone, the Pennsylvania Statewide Bat Conservation Bank provides an advance compensatory mitigation mechanism to support the Endangered Species Act and the relevant federal mitigation initiatives. The Bank is located within the known range of the Indiana bat and includes more than 438 contiguous acres of high-quality habitat used by two Indiana bat maternity colonies. Although Indiana bats have experienced significant population declines due to a malady known as white-nose syndrome, the Indiana bat maternity areas in Washington and Greene Counties persist. The maternity area includes three partially conjoined maternity colonies consisting of primary and alternate roost trees and the surrounding 2.5-3-mile foraging habitat (USFWS 2016).

In addition to providing extremely high-quality bat habitat, the Pennsylvania Statewide Bat Conservation Bank site abuts two known Biodiversity areas identified by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and hosts the Mixed-Mesophysic Forest Target Plant Community, an extremely rich terrestrial community type on deep soils in protected concave coves or lower slopes only in Greene County, PA. The Site also includes the known range of one endangered plant Nuttall’s Hedge-nettle (Stachys cordata) and special concern plant species Single-headed Pussy-toes (Antennaria solitaria), American Beakgrain (Diarrhena americana), and Leaf-cup (Smallanthus uvedalius).

The goal of the Bank was to re-establish and rehabilitate sustainable bottomland hardwood and bald cypress forested wetland ecosystems for compensatory mitigation purposes. The re-establishment and rehabilitation of bottomland hardwood and bald cypress wetland ecosystems was accomplished by converting existing agricultural and pasture and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) forests to a natural species composition indicative of a bottomland hardwood and bald cypress wetland forest and subsequently, increasing wetland functions, values, and services.

This site is providing mitigation credits from the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of 70,115 linear feet of streams and the preservation and restoration of 359 acres of riparian buffers within Buckingham and Albemarle Counties. The Piedmont Farms Bank is made up of two individual bank sites: Eastview Farms and Fulfillment Farms Bank Sites.

The goal of this 216.04 acre nutrient bank located in Suffolk County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into watersheds via tributaries located within and/or in close proximity to the Bank through the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate certified non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance, including the DEQ Guidance.

The bank established approximately 240.50 acres of bottomland hardwood wetland habitat.

The Pleasant Point Living Shoreline Project in Norfolk protects adjacent properties, reduces erosion, and filters pollutants from the water.

With the primary focus on the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River, where the shoreline was quickly eroding, the project’s goal was to restore the natural wetland system by providing a nature-based solution to repair and protect the shoreline.

The project involved the installation of 370 linear feet of stone sills, sand backfill, 12 linear feet of 24″ RCP pipe, a new endwall, and planting trees, shrubs, and grasses.

As a result of this project, 270 linear feet of shoreline were protected, 185 linear feet of shoreline were restored, and 0.14 acres of created tidal wetlands were established. These restored wetlands will provide aquatic animals and plants with habitat, ultimately improving the local ecosystem’s health.

However, the project had its challenges. Working almost entirely in the water and around the tide schedule with minimal stockpile area posed significant logistical challenges for the crew. Additionally, the work was performed along a highly traveled residential roadway, which further complicated the project’s execution. The crew had to carefully plan material deliveries and work around the daily tide schedule. Due to the limited stockpile area, the crew staged material in the water, making the project more challenging.

Despite these challenges, the Pleasant Point Living Shoreline Project was successfully completed, providing a sustainable solution to shore protection and enhancing the local ecosystem’s health.

In 2023, the project was recognized by the Heavy Construction Contractors Association (HCCA) for an Excellence in Infrastructure Award 

Pleasant Run Creek (PRC) is an urban stream with an approximately 12.4-square mile (1,135-acre) watershed that bisects an 87-acre former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) within Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Polecat mitigation site is located within a watershed dominated by agricultural land use in Johnston County, North Carolina, approximately two miles southeast of Smithfield. The project streams have been significantly impacted by livestock access, row crop production, and nearby urbanization. The project will involve the restoration and protection of streams in the Neuse River watershed on approximately 53 acres of conservation easement. The purpose of this mitigation site is to restore and enhance a stream complex located within the Neuse River Basin. The site supports many of the Neuse River Basin Restoration Priorities Pan (RBRP) and Neuse Regional Watershed Plan (RWP) goals. The project’s watershed is primarily rural with Interstate 95 occupying the western portion of the watershed. The project parcels have been in agricultural use for several decades.

The site includes streams that directly discharge into the Neuse River. Many of the project design goals and objectives, including restoration of riparian buffers to filter runoff from agricultural operations and improve terrestrial habitat, and construction of in-stream structures to improve habitat diversity, will address the degraded water quality and nutrient input from farming that were identified as major watershed stressors in the 2010 Neuse RBRP. Water quality stressors affecting the site include livestock access, row crop production, and impervious surface. The project presents 8,178 linear feet of stream restoration and enhancement generating 6,567 Stream Mitigation Units (SMU).

The Poplar Creek project is located in Johnston County, approximately three miles north of Smithfield within the Neuse River Basin HUC 03020201. Water quality stressors affecting the project area included livestock production, agricultural production, closed drainage system, and an impoundment. Goals for the project include an increase to hydrologic function and restoration to ecological function within the existing stream and riparian corridor, and the protection of these features in perpetuity. These were accomplished by removing an agricultural impoundment, planting the riparian buffer, excluding livestock from the conservation easement through fencing, and returning the existing streams to stable conditions by constructing a stream channel with appropriate dimensions and pattern and reconnecting the channel to the floodplain. The project presents 4,273 linear feet of stream restoration and enhancement, generating 3,926 Stream Mitigation Units along three unnamed tributaries that drain into Poplar Creek. The Poplar Creek project also generates approximately 93,766 SF of riparian buffer restoration credits, 76,454. SF of riparian buffer enhancement credits via cattle exclusion, 8,220.5 SF of riparian buffer preservation credits, and 1,454.73 lbs of nitrogen credits. Construction was completed in 2019

Featured in National Geographic, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other major outlets, Prairie Crossing is a nationally acclaimed model of conservation development. Home sites are clustered to preserve surrounding agricultural and natural area open space. To emulate functions and aesthetics of the historic landscape, RES restored over 200 acres of prairie, wetland, and agricultural hedgerow communities that had occupied the site prior to settlement.

In 1989, RES became involved in early phases of the project – focusing on planning, field studies and approvals. Ground-breaking was in 1994, and the bulk of our construction and planting activities were accomplished by 1996. Natural areas management services continue, and significant native landscape design and construction work for model homes and the Prairie Crossing Campus of Northwestern Memorial Hospital were ongoing from 2001 through 2003.

One of the main features of the native landscape at Prairie Crossing is the treatment of stormwater runoff. We designed a series of measures to reduce stormwater volumes and associated pollutant loads (nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, road salt, etc.) through an innovative stormwater management concept. This was the first major installation of the our Stormwater Treatment Train™ (STT), a system composed of open swale stormwater conveyance, upland prairie biofiltration, wetlands, and a man-made lake. Working in combination, these methods increase opportunities for pollutant removal through biological and mechanical means while significantly reducing the rate and volume of stormwater runoff.

Another unique feature of Prairie Crossing is its working organic farm, operated by a resident farm family on-site. The Prairie Crossing Farm was one of the first parts of the community to be established and remains at its heart. Based at an old farmstead with several houses, barns, and outbuildings, the farm consists of 100 acres in organic food production.

In addition, we stabilized over 1,500 linear feet of Lake Aldo Leopold shoreline at Prairie Crossing, which has created an ideal habitat for desirable emergent aquatic vegetation that attenuates wave energy and stabilizes soils. These measures, combined with biofiltration provided by the STT, have resulted in exceptional lake water quality. Swimmers, anglers, and four Illinois state-threatened fish species enjoy the clean, clear water. Prairie Crossing has been the recipient of 14 awards for environmental restoration and planning.  For more information, please visit www.prairiecrossing.com.

The Prairie Wolf Solar Project in Coles County, Illinois, generates 200 megawatts (MW) of clean solar power. Prairie Wolf Solar is projected to offset carbon dioxide emissions by 285,000 metric tons annually.

In 2021 RES contracted with SOLV Energy, the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contractor at Prairie Wolf Solar to provide construction installation and Operations and Maintenance (O&M). Our team worked directly with SOLV Energy to install three seed mixes, which included perennial low-grow grasses, pollinator habitat, and temporary cover crop. Vegetation installation and seedbed preparation were performed before and after the project infrastructure was installed.

Our team completed construction installation in 2021 and maintenance activities started in 2022. We worked directly with the Owner, National Grid Renewables (NGR) to manage vegetation in the first two years of the O&M phase of the project. We will continue to provide maintenance on-site until 2026.

Livestock Grazing

We partnered with a subcontractor, Ormiston Grazers, to manage grazing activities on-site. A combination of sheep and guardian dogs are used to maintain the site. The sheep manage the grass while the guardian dogs protect the sheep from ground and aerial predators. Grazing provides several benefits for vegetation management, including:

• Enhanced biomass. Sheep graze on the vegetation, which creates an accumulation of biomass on the soil surface.
• Enhanced soil. Manure from the sheep aids in soil building and plant growth.
• Reduced soil compaction. Sheep hooves can help break up any existing soil compaction while reducing mowing activity prevents additional compaction.
• Reduced emissions. A reduction in mowing helps to limit carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Sheep can maneuver more effectively and reach more vegetation than mechanical mowing methods.

Project Highlights

• Provided vegetation planning, installation, and management of native, perennial, pollinator species on 1,625 acres
• Contracted directly with the Owner for vegetation management following Project COD with fixed success criteria.
• Contracted with project EPC to install and manage vegetation during construction
• SWPPP-compliant project

One of the first residential conservation developments in Minnesota, this project set a new standard for integrating ecological restoration practices within residential developments. RES designed the development to maximize housing potential while still preserving relics of intact ecosystems on site. The remainder of the rural landscape was restored to native ecosystems including dry prairie, mesic prairie, wet prairie, emergent marsh, savanna, oak woodland, and maple basswood forest. We implemented phased installation and management through the early 2000s.

The development features residential family homes tucked among over 200 acres of native ecosystems and open spaces with a well-used trail system. We designed the project to use minimal road widths, planted cul-de-sacs, reduced land alteration, reduced infrastructure, alternative stormwater management, forest conservation (preserving and expanding the onsite maple-basswood forest remnant). During the project, we used conservation easements and devoted more than half of the site to restored and protected open space. Our team has been managing the site for almost two decades.

A private landowner engaged RES to create a native wetland and prairie as a component of a wetland bank. The region had previously undergone agricultural cycles for decades, featuring a small grassy section in the center. Following tile breaking, outflow construction, and grading operations, RES installed native seed and plants. Management began immediately after installation. The site is now well established in all eco zones and dominated by native species. Wildlife of all types are abundant year-round and credits are now being released and sold.

Kentucky glade cress (Leavenworthia exigua laciniata) is a rare and threatened plant found only in Jefferson and Bullitt counties in Kentucky and nowhere else on Earth.  

This delicate species thrives in specific environments with thin soils over limestone, such as limestone or cedar glades. Unfortunately, the rapid development in Jefferson County, one of Kentucky’s fastest-growing areas, poses a significant threat to its survival. The glade cress’s very specific habitat requirements and limited range, combined with the pressure from urban expansion, hinder recovery efforts. Habitat fragmentation and the resulting loss of genetic diversity are primary concerns for this unique plant. 

Through our ongoing work on the McNeely Lake Park Access Trail, our team was brought into collaboration with the Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Government (Louisville Metro). Louisville Metro manages several glades within the park to support Kentucky glade cress through habitat management, including burning and seeding from other populations. Louisville Metro contacted us about collecting seeds from a known threatened population located at a nearby development site. 

Our team of ecologists coordinated access to the collection site with the developer. They also ensured compliance with the Endangered Species Act by working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). After a month of meticulous planning, our team of ecologists and botanists met with representatives from Metro, the USFWS, and the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves at the development site to collect seedpods. These seedpods were harvested from glade areas slated for development in the coming year. This proactive measure allowed us to preserve the genetic diversity of this population before it could be impacted. 

The collected seeds will be prepared for planting and dispersed later this year to bolster several other populations of Kentucky glade cress. This collaborative effort highlights the importance of community and government partnerships in protecting and conserving our precious natural heritage. We are working to ensure that the Kentucky Glade Cress continues to thrive for future generations. 

The Puncheon Fork Mitigation Project is located within a rural watershed in Madison County, North Carolina, approximately five miles northwest of Swiss, NC. The Project lies within the French Broad River Basin, and USGS 12-digit HUC 060101051001. The Project is being designed to help meet compensatory mitigation requirements for cold stream and riparian wetland impacts in HUC 06010105. The Project area is comprised of a 13.27-acre easement involving Puncheon Fork and three of its unnamed tributaries as well as a segment of Hampton Creek, which all drain into Upper Big Laurel Creek and, eventually, the French Broad River.

The streams and wetlands proposed for restoration and enhancement have been significantly impacted by long-term agricultural practices, specifically livestock husbandry, which has contributed to degraded stream channels and the lack of riparian wetland and buffer vegetation throughout the Project. Puncheon Fork and Hampton Creek are trout waters and have increased sedimentation from hoof shear, bank erosion, and pasture runoff. Proposed improvements to the Project include bank stabilization, stream habitat structure installation, cattle exclusion fencing, and buffer planting.  The Project presents 3,157 Cold SMUs, and 1.00 Riparian WMUs.

The goal of this 147.08-acre nutrient bank located in Campbell County is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Roanoke River watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site primarily consists of agricultural land in hay production and pasture. This site is within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) 030101021505 within the Roanoke River Basin. Specifically, the Roanoke River is the principle drainage for eight-digit HUC 03010102.

In 2020, RES completed the construction of the Quaker Mitigation Bank project in Berks County, Pennsylvania. This project re-created a stream and floodplain wetland complex in an area long used for agriculture. The design approach is based on the design of valley topography to produce a high frequency, high duration, and large extent of surface water and groundwater exchange between the channel and floodplain and to promote retention of organic matter, sediment, nutrients, and water within the channel and floodplain.

During flood events, the increased flow in the stream channel is designed to disperse into the wetlands in a more controlled manner, allowing for flood flow storage in the floodplain and preventing erosion damage to streambanks and adjacent property. Deposition of sediment, nutrients, and water into the floodplain during these events promotes the successful establishment of wetland vegetation and the creation of a habitat for wetland fauna.

The site met all necessary monitoring requirements to achieve Stage 1 monitoring in 2021.

The goal of this 28.0 acre nutrient bank located in Accomack County is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Eastern Shore Watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate nonpoint nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site primarily consists of crop production. The land use conversion will generate 576.29 pounds of nitrogen reduction and 54.57 pounds of phosphorus reduction.

The Rancho Jamul IIB Mitigation Bank will restore ecological processes and function to the impaired riparian system while increasing the extent and resiliency of wetland resources. Construction of the Bank will re-establish the active floodplain and increase riparian vegetation, shade, and downed wood inputs. Additionally, the amount of potential breeding and foraging habitat for sensitive species, including the least Bell’s vireo, will be expanded. Upon establishment, it will provide offsite mitigation opportunities for riparian wetlands, riparian non-wetland waters, and CDFW riparian habitat.

The Bank is in south San Diego County within the CDFW’s Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Riparian 1602 | KMZ
• Stream | KMZ
• Wetland | KMZ

The Randolph-1 Mitigation Bank is located on 100 acres of a larger 407-acre tract of land. The goal of the Randolph-1 Mitigation Bank is to establish, restore, enhance and preserve self-sustaining, functional streams and wetlands while restoring riparian areas to be properly functioning. In addition to stream mitigation, this site will restore pockets of red spruce to an area where this species natively occurred but are no longer present. The site will also provide and protect habitat for other threatened and endangered species such as Indiana bat, Northern long-eared bat, and Virginia Big-eared Bat. The site anticipates to yield 3,392 stream credits and 2.27 wetland credits.

The holistic goal is to restore the Red Chute Mitigation Bank to its historical wetland characteristics, cumulatively reestablish, rehabilitate, and preserve 935.0 acres of bottomland hardwood wetland, provide compensatory mitigation alternatives for impairments to wetlands associated with authorized (permitted) impacts within the approved bank service area. Additionally, the bank will help aid in the State’s goal to achieve a no net loss of wetlands due to permitted activities.

The Richards Property Mitigation Bank is located on 348 acres on South Dividing Ridge Road, approximately a mile south of the intersection of South Dividing Ridge Road and Kentucky Highway 3. The Richards Property Mitigation Bank is located on 75 acres of a 348-acre parcel owned by The Nature Conservancy near Sadieville, Kentucky. Situated in the headwaters of the ecologically important Eagle Creek watershed, this mitigation bank provides habitat for more than 20 native freshwater mussels. The site was previously used for row crops and pasture and consists of young to mature forest habitats with several large, maintained open fields containing groups of mature trees. Like many streams in Kentucky, the streams within the site have been impacted by past agricultural practices such as channelization, stream relocation, riparian corridor deforestation, channel filling, open water impoundments, and pasture grazing.

RES incorporated natural channel design and construction techniques to restore 15,045 linear feet of degraded and headwater intermittent and ephemeral streams and riparian habitats. The mitigation and restoration activities generate 13,669 stream mitigation credits in Service Area 6 of northern Kentucky. Additionally, the preservation of existing wooded habitat and replanting of wooded riparian habitat along restored stream channels provide suitable summer roosting habitat for the federally endangered Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat, and the reduction of sediment to downstream aquatic habitat will benefit mussels within the Eagle Creek Watershed.

The Ridge Cut Giant Garter Snake Conservation Bank was established to provide mitigation for impacts to the state and federally-threatened giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas; GGS). The Bank is situated on a 2,400-acre property that abuts the Colusa Basin Drainage Canal within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-designated Colusa Basin Recovery Unit.

The bank provides 185.9 acres of GGS habitat, consisting of a mosaic of open water, perennial marsh, and upland habitat components. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the bank in 2010 with a service area encompassing portions of Solano, Yolo, Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama counties.

Available Credit Types

Download the KMZ file below:

Giant garter snake | KMZ

The goal of this 23.29 acre nutrient bank located in Wythe County, Virginia is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Roanoke River watershed via tributaries located within and/or in close proximity to the Bank through the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate certified non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance, including the DEQ Guidance.

The goal of RFMB1 is to restore and preserve self-sustaining, functional streams, wetlands, and riparian corridors. RES has prioritized implementation of a watershed-scale restoration approach for this project. The scale of this project purposefully considered the importance of headwater control and main stem restoration. By following these goals, we strive to replace the functions and values lost from adverse impacts to streams and wetland areas due to various permitted development projects within the Ohio River Subbasin (Pennsylvania State Water Plan Subbasin 20). RFMB1 development efforts will provide in-kind replacement for the direct loss or functional degradation of the stream, wetland, and riparian resources resulting from unavoidable aquatic impacts.

The primary objective of the Robinson Fork Phase II project is to restore and preserve a functional stream and wetland system as a mitigation bank. This initiative serves as a means to offset the loss or degradation of stream and wetland resources that occur due to unavoidable impacts in either the immediate or adjacent subbasins. The project’s restoration approach employs floodplain restoration and includes a comprehensive planting plan to improve degraded or lost streams/wetlands while delivering substantial ecological uplift.

By developing a self-sustaining ecosystem that supports the local flora and fauna, the project team aims to increase overall ecological resiliency. The team will also be responsible for monitoring and maintaining the site to ensure long-term success. The project has obtained all necessary permits and has complied with regulatory requirements.

The Robinson Fork Phase II project is a significant step towards restoring and conserving the area’s crucial stream and wetland resources. The project’s successful completion will showcase the significance of conservation and restoration efforts in maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment for future generations.

RES was competitively awarded this construction initiative commissioned by Fairfax County. The initiative focuses on enhancing the area upstream of a state-regulated dam near Tysons Corner. The project involved extensive stream restoration over approximately 1,200 linear feet to mitigate the impact of stormwater from a highly impervious watershed prone to flash flooding.

The site presented several challenges, including susceptibility to flash flooding and persistent water retention due to its high-runoff location. A significant 54-inch waterline heightened operational complexities, requiring meticulous coordination to avoid disruptions. Environmental considerations such as selective tree clearing and constant groundwater infiltration demanded careful planning and execution.

The scope of work included stream restoration tied into a large concrete pad designed to facilitate future maintenance access at the dam embankment. RES subcontracted concrete work necessary for long-term infrastructure support to WG Construction. The project also featured an ambitious reforestation initiative and a strategy for managing non-native plants to restore and enhance the local ecosystem.

The project adhered to the highest environmental and engineering standards. Its efforts not only addressed the immediate environmental and infrastructural challenges but also enhanced the area’s resilience and ecological health, setting a benchmark for sustainable watershed management and maintenance in Fairfax County.

In April 2024, the Heavy Construction Contractors Association awarded the project an HCCA Excellence in Infrastructure Award. 

The 131-acre Rogue Valley mitigation and conservation bank, located in Jackson County, Oregon, was established to protect Agate Desert vernal pool complex habitat. The Bank serves as compensatory mitigation for habitat losses and conservation of the Federally threatened vernal pool fairy shrimp and the Federally endangered Cook’s lomatium and large-flowered wooly meadowfoam. The Bank is approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Oregon Department of State Lands, in coordination with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Rogue Valley Council of Governments.

The Bank preserves special wetland resources and federally listed species habitat in the Agate Desert and supports a large intact expanse of vernal pools and swales in designated critical habitat for vernal pool fairy shrimp

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Vernal pool fairy shrimp | KMZ
• Large-flowered wooly meadowfoam | KMZ
• Cook’s lomatium | KMZ
• Vernal pool (404) | KMZ

Established in 2021, the goal of the Sabine Lake Mitigation Bank is to provide appropriate compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to wetlands authorized by the USACE within the Sabine Lake watershed and adjacent areas.

The bank reestablished approximately 127 acres of forested wetlands by:

• Restoring natural site hydrology by filling artificial drains, levees, and berms
• Managing invasive plant species through prescribed burns, mowing, and herbicide application
• Planting 10 native tree seedling species, including willow oak, cherry-bark oak, laurel oak, and water oak

RES has been involved with numerous 404/401 permitting projects related to stream and wetland impacts associated with development sites. Many of these projects result in stream and wetland mitigation, which can lead to the opportunity for permittee-responsible mitigation (PRM), as discussed with this project.

Saltwell Springs is a 51-acre residential development site in Bullitt County, Kentucky. The site comprised old agricultural fields cropped until the early 2000s and left fallow. Due to the hydric nature of the soil, about 10 acres of the site reverted to emergent, scrub-shrub, and young forested wetlands, along with 3 acres of open-water ponds. The project’s purpose was to provide approximately 470 units of mixed-used housing (apartments, townhomes, and single-family homes) in an area of Shepherdsville experiencing significant job growth and creation due to the industrial expansion, but with limited rental and housing supply. To obtain this purpose, the proposed development resulted in unavoidable impacts to 4.6 acres of wetlands and 2.9 acres for the construction of the residential development. To compensate for these wetland impacts, the developer needed to provide 9.3 acres of wetland mitigation. However, there were no wetland banks available within the Service Area for this project, and the developer was keen to mitigate the impacts near the development site. Therefore, the opportunity to present a PRM to the developer and utilize a long-standing relationship with Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest (Bernheim) arose.

The developer, Bernheim, and RES all teamed together to get this PRM opportunity approved by the agencies. The 9.7-acre Wilson Bottoms Wetland Mitigation Site is owned by Bernheim and includes a drainage network that is a direct tributary to Wilson Creek, an Outstanding State Resource Water (OSRW). The purpose of the mitigation project is to restore natural wetland functions and services adjacent to Wilson Creek. Restoration efforts associated with this project will provide a host of watershed-related benefits, including flood flow attenuation and water quality improvement, as well as significantly enhanced wildlife and aquatic habitat functions by transforming the fallow agricultural field into a diverse forested wetland complex. The mitigation project will protect 9.72 acres of forested wetland habitat in perpetuity through a conservation easement. 

Final approvals of the Mitigation Plan and 404/401 permits were issued in August 2024. RES has since initiated the restoration activities associated with the Wilsons Bottoms Wetland Mitigation Site, and the 10-year monitoring is scheduled to begin in 2025.

This project exemplifies RES’s commitment to solving environmental permitting problems and allowing for environmental stewardship. It highlights the company’s ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and logistical challenges to deliver timely and effective ecological solutions. This project is a model of efficient PRM mitigation associated with 404/401 permitting opportunities.

The 498-acre Sand Creek Conservation Bank in Tulare County consists of seasonal wetlands, vernal pool, and vernal swale habitat, as well as upland annual grassland habitat.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service approved the bank for impacts requiring vernal pool preservation, San Joaquin kit fox, and California tiger salamander mitigation. The California tiger salamander service area is based on the Southern San Joaquin California tiger salamander subpopulation. The San Joaquin kit fox service area includes the historic distribution within San Joaquin Valley east of Interstate 5 in portions of Fresno, Merced, Mariposa, Stanislaus, and Tulare counties.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• California tiger salamander | KMZ
• San Joaquin kit fox | KMZ

Previously Available Credit Types

• Vernal pool fairy shrimp (sold out)

Pending Credit Types

• California tiger salamander uplands (CDFW approved)
• California tiger salamander aquatic (CDFW approved)

The Sandhill Bank site is situated in the heart of Tennessee, just three miles northeast of Eagleville in Rutherford County, Tennessee. It is strategically located within the Harpeth River watershed (HUC 8 – 05130204), which is part of the larger Cumberland River basin. Moreover, this Bank will also serve the Stones watershed (HUC 8 – 05130203) and the Cheatham Lake watershed (HUC 8 – 05130202). The project is specifically located in the Interior Plateau physiographic region of Tennessee, falling within the Inner Nashville Basin Tennessee ecoregion. With a goal to restore natural habitats, this Bank will reestablish an impressive 68.4 acres of forested wetland.

The Sandy Creek Mitigation Bank, spanning Tyler and Doddridge Counties, West Virginia, is pivotal in revitalizing critical waterways and wetlands, providing essential mitigation for unavoidable environmental impacts. The restoration of this 208-acre site has transformed it into a thriving ecosystem, resulting in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of 56,541 feet of headwater tributaries and the establishment of 1,025 feet of connecting streams.

Though the site had experienced significant historical degradation, it presented a rare opportunity to restore damaged stream segments and reconnect them with stable, healthy headwater reaches. This connectivity ensures seamless ecological flow from the headwaters to downstream environments, enhancing resilience and biodiversity across the entire watershed.

The restoration of Sandy Creek goes beyond localized improvement—it achieves protection and restoration on a watershed scale, stabilizing hydrological processes, improving water quality, and safeguarding aquatic habitats. This interconnected system now provides enduring protection for wildlife, promotes ecosystem stability, and ensures long-term environmental sustainability.

Following the completion of mass grading and infrastructure improvements at the City of Golden Valley’s stormwater and flood mitigation storage project, RES performed stabilization, restoration, and planting on site. The project, which is near the School of Engineering and Aeronautics includes uplands, basins, and infiltration areas. Each of the areas were established with native vegetation.

During the project, RES provided soil preparation, native seeding, erosion control blanketing, hydromulching, and native planting of woody and herbaceous species. Vegetation management will continue for three years after installation.

The Scout Mitigation project is located within an agricultural watershed in Davie County, approximately eight miles west of Clemmons and five miles northwest of Bermuda Run within Yadkin River HUC 03040101, in TLW 03040101160010. The project area is comprised of a single easement located along Hauser Creek and two unnamed tributaries. The project is located between two sections of the overall 27-acre DMS Mockingbird site, and upstream of the closed out DMS UT to Hauser Creek project. The DMS Catbird site is in an adjacent catchment to the east. The streams proposed for restoration have been historically impacted by livestock production, agricultural practices, and a lack of riparian buffer.

Goals for the project include an increase to hydrologic function and restoration to ecological function within the existing stream and riparian corridor and protecting these features in perpetuity. These will be accomplished by returning the existing streams to stable conditions by constructing an E/C type stream with appropriate dimensions and pattern, reconnecting Hauser Creek to the floodplain, and backfilling the abandoned channel. In-stream structures will be installed for vertical stability and to improve habitat, where necessary. Buffer improvements will filter runoff from the surrounding pasture lands. The project presents 3,144 LF of stream restoration and enhancement, generating 2,918 Warm SMUs. Construction was completed in May 2020.

The goal of this 438.56-acre nutrient bank located in Halifax County is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Chesapeake Bay watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site primarily consists of: approximately 146.33 +/- acres of agricultural land in hay production and 26.27 +/- acres of row crop with the remainder in forest or other non-agricultural use. This site is within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) 030101040304. Specifically, the site drains to the Dan River, the Dan River is the principle drainage for eight-digit HUC 03010104.

The Selma Mill riparian buffer and nutrient bank’s service area is Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 03020201 of the Neuse River watershed, below Falls Lake. Before restoration, agricultural impacts were prevalent, including nonpoint source runoff and hydrologic modification. Priority projects for this watershed included projects that promoted nutrient and sediment reduction, as well as focusing restoration on achieving the most functional improvement to the ecosystem possible. A secondary priority concentrated on developing projects that reestablish riparian buffers and corridors of substantial width to improve connectivity to larger intact conservation areas. The Selma Mill Buffer and Nutrient Offset Site is located in southeast Johnston County, NC, immediately north of Selma. The site easement includes three unnamed tributaries and stormwater runoff from adjacent pastures that flow directly to Mill Creek. A majority of the site was previously used for livestock grazing, pasture, and row-crop production. Restoration of the riparian buffer resulted in immediate water quality benefits within the vicinity of the site through the removal of livestock access to site streams. The riparian restoration activities on the site also resulted in improved water quality to the downstream watershed.

RES orchestrated the development of the Preserve to mitigate wetlands for the Seneca Meadows Landfill expansion. This project encompassed restoring 1,100 acres of wetlands, grasslands, and savanna. A decade of RES monitoring and maintenance will precede stewardship by the Montezuma Audubon Center.

The Preserve met IBA criteria, hosting at-risk species like Black terns, Pied-bill Grebes, American Bitterns, and wintering Short-eared Owls. Other supported species include the Common Gallinule, Wilson’s Snipe, Marsh Wren, Bobolink, Savannah Sparrow, and Northern Harrier. The sighting of Dickcissels attracted birders regionally.

“Black terns have joined a growing list of species considered ‘vulnerable’ that have been sighted at the Seneca Meadows Wetland Preserve, a restored wetland and grassland site nominated as a New York Important Bird Area.”

Audobon.org, Vulnerable Wildlife Find Refuge at Landfill-Owned Wetland Preserve

In 2007, IESI, owner of New York’s largest landfill, needed expansion, foreseeing an impact on 70+ acres of forested wetland. RES proposed a 1,100-acre wetland project, surpassing the standard mitigation ratio. The adjacent Dove Farm property became the Seneca Meadows Wetland Preserve.

RES crafted the vision, designed plans, facilitated public meetings, and obtained permits. The plan included forested wetland restoration, Black Brook re-meandering, and enhancement of drained farm fields into IBA-quality areas.

Starting in 2008, restoration professionals prepared and planted the site. RES formulated Integrated Pest Management and Invasive Species Management Plans, crucial for ecological balance.

Native seeds were sourced locally and grown in Taylor Creek Restoration Nurseries. Field crews seeded 450 acres, planted 225,000 native plugs, and added 10,500 trees and shrubs. Continuous monitoring ensures ecosystem health.

The Preserve, vital within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, accommodates hundreds of thousands of migrating birds. It offers educational opportunities through Audubon’s nature center and seven miles of trails, enriching the experience for visitors and birds alike.

The stream mitigation bank encompasses 59.2 acres across three adjoining tracts located near Allisona, Williamson County. The mitigation project restores approximately 3.29 miles (± 17,359 linear feet) of ephemeral, intermittent and perennial stream channels in Overall Creek, North Fork Flat Creek, and West Fork Spring Creek watersheds, which are tributaries of the Harpeth River, which ultimately drains into the Cumberland River. This bank provides compensatory stream mitigation for permitted impacts within the proposed geographic service area of the Harpeth (05130204), Lower Cumberland- Sycamore (05130202), and Stones (05130203) HUC 8 watersheds.

The Seven Pines Mitigation Bank is located on eight parcels of land, all held by various landowners, which total approximately 384-acres. The goal of the bank is to restore, enhance and preserve self-sustaining, functional streams and wetlands to mitigate for lost functions due to unavoidable off-site impacts to streams and wetlands. This project will restore hydrology, hydraulic and geomorphic functions to stream and riparian ecosystems within the site boundary and produce 11,602 stream credits and 3.81 wetland credits.

The Shiitake Ridge Site is located in Henderson County, approximately three miles north of Hendersonville, NC.

The Site involves the restoration and enhancement of two unnamed tributaries of Mud Creek that have been disturbed by agricultural activities and cattle grazing. The Site is contained in one parcel totaling approximately 24.52 acres of the conservation easement and is located within a lightly developed residential and commercial area. Land use within the project watershed is comprised primarily of agricultural, residential, and forested land uses.

The conceptual design presents the opportunity to provide up to 3,595.667 Cool SMUs. The Site will provide significant ecological uplift, including the reduction of nutrient inputs via livestock exclusion and the reduction of sediment inputs from eroding stream banks. Streams will be restored by constructing channel pattern, dimension, and profile to reference reach conditions.

The Shoulder Run Stream Restoration project is a Nutrient Bank for the Upper Roanoke River. The project included restoration of headwater stream systems within active pasture land. Before construction, cattle had full access to the stream, heavily degrading the banks. There was no riparian buffer before the project’s completion. Soil sampling yielded the highest values of total phosphorus and nitrogen sampled at a site by RES in the Mid-Atlantic to date. By repairing the degraded banks, we prevented 309.68 tons/year of total suspended solids, 1375.85 lbs/year of total phosphorus, and 881.67 lbs/year of total nitrogen from entering the Chesapeake Bay. A mixture of design techniques was used based on the type of degradation and landscape limitations, including beaver dam analogs in a highly incised section with no realignment potential, floodplain restoration with a small baseflow channel, online restoration working with existing bedrock, oxbow ponds left along the existing alignment, and natural channel design with channel realignment. With the high nutrient load in the soils and designed highly saturated floodplains, vegetation recruitment has been highly successful at this site. Restoration at this site has created a highly functioning eco-corridor with a highly connected floodplain and a stream system with diverse habitat niches. RES was responsible for the landowner coordination, crediting, design, permitting, and monitoring of this site. KBS completed construction with oversight from RES staff.

The Sinking Springs project was implemented for PennDOT through a competitively bid, design-build-operate-maintain solicitation. RES won the project to deliver a stream restoration Best Management Practice, or BMP, to provide over 167,000 pounds of sediment reduction towards PennDOT’s MS4 permit reduction goal for the current (and future) MS4 permits. RES acquired the rights to private property to execute and maintain the BMP – designing, permitting, and constructing it within 12 months.

The Smokestack Mitigation Bank is in southwest Tennessee, less than 20 miles from the City of Memphis in Shelby County. SSMB is jointly located within the City of Lakeland and Arlington Township at the convergence of the Loosahatchie River and Cypress Creek. The site is approximately 345 acres in size. Mitigation activities at this site will occur throughout the property totaling an estimated 6,105 linear feet of existing stream corridor.

RES is currently working in Southwestern Pennsylvania on a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (PADEP-BAMR), the Natural Streams Foundation (NSF) to rejuvenate a Refuse Site, transforming approximately 20 acres into an ecological sanctuary.

Why This Project is Important

The site’s history of mining activities has left hazardous coal refuse deposits, leading to a landscape prone to illegal dumping, unsafe ATV riding, and recreational fires, posing safety and environmental risks.

Reclaiming the area will address these issues by stabilizing it and restoring essential wildlife habitats. By removing hazardous materials and managing erosion, the project aims to prevent harmful runoff into nearby streams, which can damage water quality and aquatic life.

Key Components of the Project

Public Park Development

The cornerstone of the project is to develop a site suitable for the potential establishment of a public park featuring:

• ADA-compliant trails and parking
• Multi-use fields and general-use areas
• Improved access roads and new routes using materials sourced from the site

Soil and Water Management

Efforts will include stabilizing the landscape, managing surface and subsurface water with drains and grass-lined channels, and enhancing soil health with limestone and native plants. This will help prevent erosion and create a stable environment for plant growth.

Wildlife Support

The project will use native plants to improve soil health and provide habitats for local wildlife, including birds and mammals. This will help create a diverse ecosystem supporting wildlife and the local community.

Outcome

This reclamation project can potentially transform a hazardous site into a safe, thriving park, enhancing the local environment for a sustainable future.

RES provided NEPA re-evaluation and permitting support for the proposed roadway widening improvements to Space Commerce Way.

Highlights​

• Agency coordination included SJRWMD, FDEP, USFWS, NASA, and Space Florida. ​
• Use of LiDAR and historical aerials to verify previous wetland determinations before performing field review – Cost savings!​
• Coordination with USFWS and NASA concerning Florida scrub-jay habitat impacts was assessed using the KSC Florida Scrub-jay Compensation Plan.​
• A thorough review of historical documentation identified approximately 12 units of excess federal mitigation credit for use on future projects ~$1-1.5M savings.

The year-long ecological assessment of this large community center campus was federally funded because of its ecological features that are important to fish and wildlife goals.

Naturally occurring wetlands and upland plant communities throughout the site offered suitable habitat for the federally listed bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) as well as state-endangered amphibians and mussels.

Faunal surveys documented more than 150 bird species, a dozen mammals, amphibians, and reptiles on the 300-acre historic landscape. Macroinvertebrate, mussel, fish, and insect studies produced insightful results, as did in-stream habitat assessment and water quality sampling.

The goal of this 949-acre nutrient bank located in Warren and Clarke Counties is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the Chesapeake Bay watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site currently consists of agricultural land in hay production with the remainder in forest or other non-agricultural use. This site sits within the twelve-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) 020700070103. Specifically, the Project drains to both Wolfe Marsh Run and Borden Marsh Run, both of which then run directly into the Shenandoah River, the principle drainage for eight-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) 02070007.

The Stone Creek mitigation site is located approximately 14 miles southeast of Smithfield and contains three parcels totaling 161-acres in Johnston County, NC. The site involves the restoration and enhancement of unnamed tributaries to Mill Creek. The site was identified by RES as having potential to help meet the compensatory mitigation requirements for stream impacts in hydrologic unit 03020201 of the Neuse River Basin.

This proposed site will result in significant ecological improvements including water quality improvement, habitat restoration and a decrease in non-point source pollution from stormwater and agricultural practices. The site is located in the Mill Creek Watershed, a Targeted Local Watershed (TLW)  and supports many of the Neuse River Basin Restoration Priorities Plan (RBRP) and Neuse Regional Watershed Plan (RWP) goals.

Many of the project design goals and objectives, including restoration of riparian buffers to filter runoff from agricultural operations and improve terrestrial habitat, and construction of in-stream structures to improve habitat diversity, will address the degraded water quality and nutrient input from farming that were identified as major watershed stressors in the 2010 Neuse RBRP.

The conceptual design presents 5,886 linear feet of stream mitigation generating 4,547 Stream Mitigation Units (SMU). In addition to the stream restoration, the site could potentially provide nutrient offset mitigation and riparian buffer mitigation through the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) Neuse Riparian Buffer Mitigation program. The buffer and nutrient offset mitigation will be developed through a separate banking instrument.

RES is working with Anne Arundel County to provide cost-effective pollutant (i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment) reductions and equivalent “impervious acres treated” on private lands throughout the County. These projects include outfall stabilization, and wet and dry pond retrofits, and continuous monitoring on four sites. In total, these projects will produce an estimated 188.6 Impervious Acre Credits for the County. Our external partners provide stormwater retrofit engineering and Municipal Separate Sewer (MS4) support services, as well as a cloud-based platform to monitor and control stormwater facilities. The technology, known as Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC), uses data from on-site sensors, weather forecasts, and site-specific parameters to make intelligent and predictive control decisions about when water is discharged from stormwater facilities.

RES is spearheading a critical environmental mitigation initiative for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Mountain Parkway Widening project in Wolfe County, Kentucky. This project focuses on mitigating ecological impacts through stream restoration within a compressed timeframe, aligning with the KYTC’s schedule demands.

In response to KYTC’s roadway widening initiative, RES was tasked with securing a mitigation site and developing a comprehensive Mitigation Plan for permitting. This required expedited action, with all necessary steps completed within approximately 12 months. The site selected by RES encompasses 644 acres at the headwaters of Straight Creek. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) approved this site for permittee-responsible mitigation in June 2021.

The approved Mitigation Plan will restore 50,194 linear feet of stream to generate 13,428 Ecological Integrity Units (EIUs). These units are essential to compensate for environmental disturbances caused by the parkway expansion. The plan encompasses re-establishment, rehabilitation, and enhancement of stream and wetland areas to ensure sustainability and long-term environmental benefits.

The project faced significant challenges, including the need for a mineral title search, which revealed a severance of mineral rights affecting the project’s credit generation potential. In collaboration with the legal firm Fox, Wood, Wood, & Estill, RES successfully reunited the mineral rights with surface ownership through a court-issued Default Judgment, thus enabling the full scope of mitigation efforts.

During the project’s permitting phase, a revision in the Waters of the U.S. (WOUS) definition identified more streams requiring mitigation. RES expanded the mitigation area within the Straight Creek site to accommodate these changes, ensuring compliance and additional environmental preservation.

Permits were obtained by July 2022, and the parkway construction began in August 2022. RES initiated restoration efforts at Straight Creek in October 2022, with completion expected by June 2024. This will be followed by post-construction success monitoring to assess the impact of ecological restoration.

The Stream Mitigation for the Mountain Parkway Widening Project exemplifies RES’s commitment to environmental stewardship. It highlights the company’s ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and logistical challenges to deliver timely and effective ecological solutions. This project serves as a model of efficient environmental mitigation aligned with large-scale infrastructure developments.

RES was selected to lead the design of critical improvements to stabilize 2,135 feet of streambank along Holston River Park. The primary objective of this project is to safeguard the existing park infrastructure and amenities while mitigating further erosion along the riverbank. Funding for this crucial environmental initiative has been secured through a grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Project Objectives

• Streambank Stabilization: The project’s central focus is stabilizing the eroding streambank within Holston River Park. This will involve carefully designing and implementing erosion control measures, including vegetation restoration and bioengineering techniques.
• Infrastructure Protection: The project aims to protect and preserve the park’s vital infrastructure amenities, including walking trails, picnic areas, and recreational facilities, which are at risk due to ongoing erosion.
• Erosion Prevention: By implementing sustainable erosion control measures, we seek to prevent further degradation of the riverbank, ultimately enhancing the ecological health of the Holston River and its surrounding environment.

RES will carry out a series of responsibilities integral to the project’s success. We will perform a comprehensive Site Assessment, carefully evaluating the riverbank’s current state, including erosion patterns, sediment transport, and the condition of existing infrastructure. Following this assessment, RES will take the lead in the Design and Engineering phase, where we will develop detailed plans for streambank stabilization. These plans will prioritize environmentally friendly and sustainable techniques, aligning seamlessly with TDEC guidelines.

Additionally, RES will handle Permit Submittal and Coordination, leveraging our expertise to prepare and submit all required permits to the relevant federal, state, and local agencies. We commit to ensuring that all regulatory obligations are met, facilitating smooth and compliant project execution.

When RES assessed the IDNR-designated Illinois Natural Area remnant on the private property of the Stronghold Retreat Center, the landowner understood their role as steward of this ecological jewel. In response, the Retreat Center engaged RES to conduct a comprehensive Natural Resource Inventory and Ecosystem Management Plan for the historic 326-acre property.

The property occupies picturesque, forested bluff lands of the Rock River in Northern Illinois, featuring unique savanna and hill prairie communities harboring some of the state’s most rare biological diversity. Investigations included mapping of natural and cultural features, and floristic quality and ecosystem health assessments.

Among the plan’s goals is the stewardship of healthy and attractive ecological settings that will continue to provide a naturally beautiful and inspirational setting for the Stronghold environmental education, and camp and retreat activities.

The plan also integrates ecosystem management principles into the site’s sustainable timber management program, balancing the need to protect critical habitat for regional and migratory songbirds and other wildlife, and important educational and recreational opportunities.

In the process of ecological restoration planning, RES developed an extensive geospatial database using high-resolution aerial imagery and remote sensing for conducting field investigations and as a tool for long-term management and education.

RES’ geospatial team used both bare earth and first return LiDAR datasets to better understand the natural resources and cultural history of the 326-acre Stronghold property. Situated along the scenic bluffs of the Rock River, this property includes an IDNR-designated Illinois Natural Area and has a diverse and rich combination of karst, cultural, and vegetation resources. These were explored and mapped quickly and accurately with the help of State of Illinois LiDAR data.

Sixteen sinkholes of various sizes, ten historic quarries, numerous historic trails, and other cultural impacts were easily detected and mapped using a bare earth digital elevation model (DEM) along with 2-foot generated contours and shaded relief visualization. Hydrologic features such as drainages and erosion gullies were also mapped.

With the predominance of woodlands in this area, the Canopy Height Model derived from the first return LiDAR provided tremendous insight into the current forest structure and the historical impacts that created it. This led to the important discovery, collaborated with historical aerial photos, of former agricultural fields that were clearly visible in both the canopy height model and the surface DEM.

These findings greatly improved the delineation of vegetation communities and guided the restoration plans. The LiDAR data provided flexibility in generating derivative map products, such as contours at multiple intervals, slope, shaded relief, and elevations which greatly improved understanding and communication.

In 2020, RES completed stream restoration design and construction services along Tarnans Branch in Anne Arundel County, MD. This project was submitted as part of the 2017 Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) Full Delivery Stream Restoration Services RFP, to help meet SHA’s total daily maximum load (TMDL) requirements.  

The project required the restoration and stabilization of 4,421 LF of a degraded and unstable stream channel as well as the restoration of a 4.54-acre wetland floodplain. This project was designed utilizing a hybrid of natural channel design and floodplain reconnection approach. Beneficial outcomes of this project included greater stability within the stream channel and stream banks, floodplain accessibility, and habitat and biodiversity recruitment post-construction. RES’ work on this project included property owner recruitment and buy-in during site selection evaluation, design, permitting, and construction.  

The Tarnans Branch watershed continues to develop rapidly with yearly increases in the overall impervious area upstream of this site; the implementation of the RES approach will result in the reduction of 659 pounds of phosphorus, 1,431 pounds of nitrogen, and 38 tons of sediment per year for this watershed. 

This project required close coordination with several interested project participants and entities including the property owner, SHA, Anne Arundel County, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and various subcontractors and suppliers. RES’ coordination and logistics among the project participants allowed for the successful and on-time delivery of this work.  

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) selected RES to provide environmental mitigation credits to offset unavoidable environmental impacts due to roadway projects across Tennessee. RES was awarded three sites, resulting in a total of 68,593 linear feet of stream restoration, enhancement, and preservation.

For each, RES is responsible for site selection, land acquisition, survey, design, permitting, construction, monitoring, and adaptive management to support TDOT’s restoration goals. RES is performing restoration efforts in multiple locations across the state, including the Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Memphis areas. Environmental feasibility services provided by RES included delineating wetlands and streams on the site subject to jurisdiction by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. RES utilized the currently accepted 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual and appropriate Regional Supplement to delineate and flag potentially jurisdictional areas on-site and collect all necessary data. Stream construction tasks will include mobilization, erosion, and sediment control installation, clearing and grubbing, stream flow maintenance, rock/log structure installation, riffle grade control installation, bank stabilization matting, seeding, and planting.

The overall goal of the Bank is to restore, to the greatest extent possible, the ecological function of the highly degraded aquatic resources at each site. A primary objective of achieving this goal will be to generate stream compensation credits that fully mitigate authorized losses of streams, which are waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), in a manner that best contributes to the long-term ecological health of the watershed. The Bank will accomplish this objective by implementing various mitigation measures, including stream re-establishment, restoration, enhancement, and riparian buffer planting. These activities are intended to produce watershed-scale improvements of ecological services that will replace the chemical, physical, and biological function of stream channels and riparian areas within the proposed service area lost due to authorized impacts.

In 2007, RES partnered with the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation (PWC) to restore approximately 147,000 LF – well over 20 miles – of stream and riparian buffer on almost 2,000 acres of parklands. RES established a public-private partnership (P3) with PWC to enable stream restoration across the County at no cost to the County by combining the benefits of stream restoration and preservation within PWC parks with the demand for stream mitigation credits in the watershed. The Prince William Environmental Bank (PWEB) is the only P3 agreement of its kind in the Commonwealth. All design, permitting, planning, and construction are being implemented by HGS. The most recent project completed under this program is a 7,215 LF stream restoration at James Long Park in Haymarket, VA. HGS provided all design, permitting, and construction for the project. Within the park, 14,850 LF of streams and 109 acres of riparian buffer were protected by conservation easements, while 7,215 LF of impaired streams were restored. HGS field ecology staff currently monitor James Long for compliance with success criteria. Annual reports are submitted to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the US Army Corps of Engineers to demonstrate project success.

The Thunder Swamp Mitigation Bank is located within the Neuse River Basin in Wayne County near Mount Olive, North Carolina. This project consists of conservation easements that will total a combined 82 acres and codeveloped with a contracted NC Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) project. Previously, much of the Project area was used extensively for agricultural purposes for at least 70 years. The Project reaches, and adjacent areas, were in either crop production or degraded forest. Water quality stressors that affected the Projects included heavily manipulated/relocated and maintained stream channels, nutrient loadings from active crop production, and lack of forested riparian buffers.

The goal of this Project was to restore, enhance, and preserve the ecological function of the existing stream and its associated riparian areas by establishing appropriate plant communities while minimizing temporal and land disturbing impacts. Buffer and surrounding riparian area improvements will filter runoff from agricultural fields, thereby reducing nutrient and sediment loads to Project channels and provide water quality benefit to the overall watershed. This Project has the potential to generate up to 551,335.133 square feet of riparian buffer mitigation credits and provide 93,051.943 lbs of N of nutrient offset credits.

RES is providing stream restoration credits to Prince George’s County Maryland Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program. The CWP is a Public-Private Partnership formed to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water regulatory requirements. The projects delivered through this contract will be enrolled as part of Prince George’s County Bay TMDL Action Plan, with associated nutrient reductions credited toward compliance with the Bay TMDL. The Tributary to Mattawoman Stream Restoration Project restored 4,926 LF of degraded stream channel, generating 98.53 Equivalent Impervious Acre Credits for CWP / Prince George’s County.  

To execute this project RES performed existing site assessments and geomorphic surveys. Using this data along with Natural Channel Design philosophies and published reference data, RES designed bankfull channels that provided stable banks and frequent floodplain connectivity. RES designed full realignments of the streams to achieve proper stream sequencing and stable channel geometry. Additionally, RES ensured that there were no offsite floodplain rises and performed all necessary hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. RES acquired all state, federal, and local permits necessary to execute the proposed work.  

Upon completion of the design and permitting, RES’ construction staff used a team of subcontractors and in-house construction crews to execute the project. Construction began in January 2021 and was substantially complete by May 2021. During construction, RES’ design staff remained an integral part of the team making frequent site visits, attending multiple site meetings, and ensuring the proper execution of the design.  

The goal of this 31.89 acre nutrient bank located in Henrico County is to reduce nutrient (phosphorus) and sediment loading into the James Watershed via the conversion of active agricultural land into forest; and generate non-point nutrient credits for transfer under existing and future federal, state and local law, programs, regulations and guidance. The site primarily consists of cropland, hayfield, and pasture. The land use conversion will generate 389.96 pounds of nitrogen reduction and 60.57 pounds of phosphorus reduction.

The Twiman Mitigation site is located within a rural watershed dominated by agricultural and low-density residential land use in Yadkin County. The project is located in the Yadkin River Basin within Cataloging Unit 03040101, 14-digit USGS HUC 03040101130010 and DWR sub-basin 03-07-02. The project area is comprised of three easement areas totaling 30.5 acres along multiple tributaries that flow into North Deep Creek. The project is designed to help meet compensatory mitigation requirements for warm stream impacts in the HUC 03040101.

The project proposes to restore 4,074 LF and enhance 5,074 LF of warm stream, producing warm SMUs. The streams proposed for restoration have been significantly impacted by livestock production, impoundments, agricultural production, and lack of riparian buffer. Goals for the Project include an increase to hydrologic function and restoration to ecological function within the existing stream and riparian corridor and protecting these features in perpetuity. These will be accomplished by removing two farm ponds, returning the existing streams to stable conditions, reconnecting channels to their floodplain, and backfilling the abandoned channels. In-stream structures will be utilized for vertical stability and to improve habitat. Buffer improvements will filter runoff from agricultural fields, thereby reducing nutrient and sediment loads to the channel. Livestock exclusion fence will be installed along the easement boundary. Benefits from these activities include improved water quality, and terrestrial and aquatic habitat. Construction is nearly complete as of May 2020.

In partnership with The University of Toledo Foundation and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, RES developed the turn-key UT CADE Restoration Project in Toledo, Ohio. The 49-acre project on The UT Foundation’s property has been fully funded by ODNR’s H2Ohio program, which aims to reduce nutrient runoff into the Western Lake Erie Basin. RES worked alongside these partners from project inception through design, permitting, and construction and will continue with long-term maintenance of the site.

Previously, existing stream channels (Tributaries to the Ottawa River) through the CADE (Center for Alumni & Donor Engagement) project were deeply incised and subject to systemic bank erosion. Consequently, associated resources (Wetlands, Riparian Areas, and Upland Buffers) have undergone direct and indirect historic and ongoing impacts. This restoration project has restored stable, meandering stream channels with improved hydraulic connectivity to the adjacent floodplains and associated wetland complexes, utilizing a hybrid approach of floodplain excavation and grading in tandem with Natural Channel Design methods.

The restoration approach involved installing stream enhancement structures (log vanes/log weirs) and excavating/repairing eroding banks. The strategic installation of log sill grade control structures, log cross vanes, and rock riffles enhanced wetland and riparian floodplain reconnection. Adjacent wetland areas were hydrologically and vegetatively re-established and/or rehabilitated using shallow soil scrapes, followed by extensive native seeding and planting. Vegetative restoration included planting palettes to create a wetland mosaic containing native emergent, scrub-shrub, and forested wetland types.

Wooded riparian areas (areas beyond the identified wetlands) were enhanced by controlling invasive plant species and planting and/or seeding vegetation native to the region. In addition, disturbed upland regions underwent native upland seeding to promote an upland buffer and pollinator habitat reflective of undisturbed reference sites throughout the region.

This project has helped reduce sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorous pollutants. Secondary benefits have included stream stabilization, erosion and flood mitigation, improved terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and enhanced educational and recreational opportunities at the CADE campus. Additional long-term benefits have included the use of the property by University academics as an outdoor classroom for ecological instruction, studies, and graduate research.

The goal of the bank site is to restore and preserve self-sustaining, functional, stream, wetland, and riparian corridors to replace the functions and values lost from adverse impacts to streams and wetlands due to various permitted development projects within the Upper Susquehanna River Subbasin. The development efforts provide an in-kind replacement for the direct loss or functional degradation of stream, wetland, and riparian resources that result from unavoidable aquatic resource impacts. In addition, the structural establishment of these functional improvements in advance of the compensated functional impacts will serve to eliminate the temporal loss of function which may result from alternative mitigation approaches.

The project includes restoration of all stream channels onsite and the rehabilitation or conservation of their associated riparian zones. Some of the targeted aquatic functions restored include improvements to wildlife habitat, water quality, flood conveyance and storage, and erosion control through the implementation of natural channel design, vegetation controls, and long-term land protection. Restoration modifications include natural channel design techniques, channel cross section and pattern alterations, bank stabilization and bio-engineering techniques, grade control and in-stream structures, and establishment of forested riparian zones. Our work rehabilitates and conserves riparian zones along both banks of streams including wetlands.

This mitigation bank encompasses 134.43 total acres of land to be protected in perpetuity. The bank restores and preserves self-sustaining, functional stream, wetland, and riparian corridors and replaces the functions and services lost from adverse impacts to streams and wetlands due to various permitted development projects within the Upper Susquehanna River Subbasin. These development efforts will provide an in-kind replacement for the direct loss or functional degradation of the stream, wetland, and riparian resources that result from unavoidable aquatic resource impacts. Also, the structural establishment of these functional improvements in advance of the compensated functional impacts will serve to eliminate the temporal loss of function that may result from alternative mitigation approaches.

RES, formerly  SWC, was charged with the highly-detailed assessment of submerged aquatic vegetation along shorelines associated with beach renourishment project. Work included a thorough review of the client-specified scope of work and field data sheets; oversight of full AAUS 4-person SCUBA dive team, boats, and operators conducting 143 transects with characterization, photos, and Braun Blanquet data was taken every five meters. The team prepared a final report that was fully approved by USACE.

The USRMB Phase 1 project is a critical mitigation bank designed to restore and preserve a self-sustaining functional stream and wetland system. 

To achieve this goal, our team utilized a natural channel design restoration approach to enhance the ecological health of degraded or lost streams and wetlands. Additionally, we incorporated a robust planting plan to improve the project’s ecological uplift further.

Our efforts in this project were essential to promoting sustainable development while protecting vital natural resources. By implementing effective mitigation strategies, we ensure that the local community continues to thrive without compromising the surrounding environment.

Furthermore, we are proud to share that we have been monitoring and maintaining this site for the past 10 years to ensure that the restored stream and wetland systems are functioning properly and thriving. Our team is dedicated to the long-term success of the USRMB Phase 1 project and will continue to prioritize its preservation and ecological health for years to come.

The USRMB Phase 2 Mitigation Bank provides in-kind replacement for the loss of stream and wetland resources resulting from unavoidable impacts.

The restoration efforts of the mitigation bank used a floodplain restoration approach, which included incorporating a robust planting plan. The aim was to improve degraded or lost streams/wetlands and provide significant ecological uplift.

Currently, the mitigation bank is in Monitoring Year 3 and has achieved all performance standards, made possible through implementing appropriate restoration measures and monitoring strategies. The monitoring activities carried out during Monitoring Year 3 have included assessing the effectiveness of the planting plan and floodplain restoration approach in restoring and preserving the stream and wetland system. The monitoring results have shown that the project has successfully improved the degraded or lost streams/wetlands, leading to significant ecological uplift.

The USRMB Phase 2 Mitigation Bank is expected to continue providing essential ecological uplift for years to come.

The Uzzle Stream Mitigation site is located in Johnston County, approximately six miles southeast of Clayton in the Neuse River Basin within the HUC 03020201. Water quality stressors affecting the site include livestock production, agricultural production, and improper flow dynamics due to impervious surface runoff. Goals for the site include an increase to hydrological function and restoration to ecological function within the existing stream and riparian corridor and protecting these features in perpetuity. These goals have been accomplished by returning streams to stable conditions by constructing channels with appropriate dimensions and pattern. Riparian buffer improvements also were constructed to filter runoff from the agricultural fields and neighboring car lot, thereby reducing nutrient and sediment loads to the channel. Livestock exclusion fence was installed along the easement boundary. Benefits from these activities include improved water quality and terrestrial aquatic habitat. The site presents 5,897 linear feet of stream restoration and enhancement generating 2,876 Stream Mitigation Units along Little Poplar Creek and two unnamed tributaries and 268,834 SF of buffer enhancement credits. Construction was completed in 2019.

RES was selected to supply the mitigation offset solution for Volvo’s manufacturing plant in Berkeley County, South Carolina. The 1.5 million square foot manufacturing facility was developed on a 575-acre tract in the Lowcountry.

RES supplied a comprehensive mitigation work plan for the preservation, enhancement, and restoration of 2,488.04 acres of protected land, with six protected tracts.  This included enhancement and preservation of the Bannister and Dean Swamp tracts and preservation of the Long, Mims, Singletary, and Salisbury tracts within the Four Hole Swamp watershed.

The primary mitigation tracts (Bannister) placed 1,668.84 acres under a permanent protective agreement with SCDNR to dedicate the tract as a Heritage Trust Preserve. The other tracts include the protection and enhancement of approximately 819.21 acres in the Four Holes Swamp watershed. These tracts will be owned and managed as part of the 17,000-acre Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest, a RAMSAR Wetlands of International Importance and Globally Important Bird Area. The mitigation work plan included the preservation of bottomland hardwoods and the reforestation of the Longleaf Pine Savanah. A prescribed fire schedule was implemented that mimics the natural burn cycle.

Through a collaborative approach with the South Carolina Department of Commerce, leading private company experts, federal and state regulatory agencies, and regional conservation groups, Volvo was able to permit one of the largest economic development projects in South Carolina in record time. This mitigation plan resulted in the restoration and protection of 2,488.04 acres of land critical to protecting one of South Carolina’s natural treasures, Four Hole Swamp.

The bank’s goals are to enhance the vegetation of 267 acres of relic wet pine savanna and Carolina Bay through prescribed burning, mechanical treatment, and chemical treatment as necessary and to preserve 248 acres of fully functional Carolina bay and relic wet pine savanna. This site provides preferred conditions for many rare and endemic plant species in the Southeastern United States and added 754.19 acres to the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve.

The Walnut Shade Mitigation Bank is located in northern, middle Tennessee, approximately 57 miles northeast of Nashville in the eastern part of Macon County in the Town of Red Boiling Springs. This 321-acre property has historically been used for agricultural pasture, hay, and cropland and includes seven impoundments of 21,141 linear feet headwater perennial and intermittent streams. Current stream conditions show signs commonly exhibited by livestock access and extensive channelization including significant sections of eroding and sloughing banks, sparse riparian canopy, and excessive sedimentation resulting in embedded substrate. Consequently, current degraded stream reaches are potentially contributing to water quality issues such as nutrient overloading, turbidity, total suspended solids, and elevated water temperature.

RES is using natural channel design and construction techniques to restore channel hydrology, geomorphology, water quality, and aquatic and riparian habitat. The Walnut Shade mitigation bank will rehabilitate, reestablish or enhance 21,103 linear feet of stream. The Bank’s proposed primary service area watersheds are the Barren River (HUC 8 – 05110002), Red River (HUC 8 – 05130206), Upper Cumberland-Cordell Hull Reservoir (HUC 8 – 05130106), Old Hickory Lake (HUC 8 – 05130201), and Cheatham Lake-Lower Cumberland Sycamore Creek (HUC 8 – 05130202) as a secondary service area.

The Walnut Wood Mitigation Project is located within Guilford County, less than five miles east of Julian. The Project lies within the Cape Fear River Basin and Haw River Sub-Watershed. The Project is comprised of three unnamed tributaries that drain directly into Climax Creek. Located on a former golf course, the streams proposed for restoration have been significantly impacted by impoundments and two reaches have been buried and piped entirely. The goals of the project are to improve water quality, habitat, and hydrology by daylighting piped streams, removing impoundments, and restoring the riparian buffer area throughout the project. Through stream restoration and enhancement, the Project presents 7,417 LF of proposed stream, generating 5,797.000 base Warm Stream Mitigation Units. Additionally, the Project presents the opportunity to perform 1,745,337.531 ft2 (40.07 acres) of a riparian buffer planting, generating approximately 298,048 riparian buffer restoration credits, 19,494 buffer preservation credits, 13,704.379 lb delivered nitrogen, and 408.880 lb delivered phosphorus credits.

RES delivered a groundbreaking turnkey stream restoration project on behalf of VDOT. The project was strategically enrolled as part of VDOT’s Bay TMDL Action Plan, with the associated nutrient reductions credited towards compliance with the Bay TMDL Special Conditions applicable to VDOT as a regulated MS4 under Virginia’s MS4 General Permit Program. This notable achievement was achieved under RES’ VDOT Statewide MS4/TMDL Implementation & Related Activities On-Call Contract.

This project’s scope encompassed the restoration of approximately seven miles of degraded channel along Wancopin Creek, as well as several unnamed perennial and intermittent tributaries to Wancopin Creek and Goose Creek. Situated on a private property spanning over 900 acres near Middleburg, VA, the project required RES to secure all necessary rights to implement and seek credit certification on behalf of VDOT. RES diligently undertook all aspects of the project, including land acquisition, design, permitting, construction, monitoring, and maintenance.

RES is currently in the third year of monitoring this project.

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This project was for the Waupaca Foundry – Plant 5 Facility (Waupaca) located in Perry County, Indiana (just north of Hancock and Breckinridge Counties, Kentucky) to provide mitigation for a facility expansion that included new development pads, entrance roads, and utilities. Construction was completed in January of 2021 and included over 8,200 linear feet of stream reestablishment, rehabilitation, preservation, or enhancement.

RES was contracted to complete mitigation bank permitting, construction oversight, and monitoring services in support of the West Kentucky Wetwoods Mitigation Bank (WKWMB), which is located in northeastern Hickman County, Kentucky. The project restored and established a diverse bottomland hardwood forest complex within the Obion Creek watershed that provided 79.8 mitigation credits for sale to be used as compensation for lost wetland functions and values within surrounding watersheds of the Jackson Purchase region.

The 210-acre Western Placer Schools Conservation Bank located in Placer County contains vernal pools and vernal swales, seasonal wetlands, and annual grassland habitats.

The Bank was approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for unavoidable permitted impacts requiring Vernal pool preservation mitigation within Placer County.

Available Credit Types

Download service area maps and KMZ files below:

• Vernal pool fairy and tadpole shrimp preservation | KMZ
• Swainson’s hawk | KMZ

The Wilson Ranch Preserve and Restoration project, a P3 grant-funded project, is situated on 400 acres of historic ranchlands in Polk County. These lands have been modified for over a century for cattle operations and production.

Situated in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States since 2010, the Wilson Ranch Reserve holds immense significance. The project area’s restoration is poised to make a notable impact on flood resilience and ecological preservation and contribute to the sustainable growth of Polk County.

RES will lead the planning, engineering, design, and permitting of the project, following industry and regulatory standards. Construction of the project will be conducted in coordination with skilled team members. New native plantings and long-term monitoring and maintenance will be performed by our restoration technicians, including significantly improving native species coverage and removing widespread invasive species. Continuous monitoring, lasting ten years, will track flood storage, water quality, and success criteria for wetlands and streams. Maintenance and operation will extend for 15 years, securing the project’s long-term success.

RES is designing the project to achieve the following key objectives under the Wilson Ranch Preserve and Restoration project:

• Enhanced Flood Resilience: Restore nearly two miles of a heavily manipulated stream and engineer its reconnection to a rehabilitated floodplain. This restoration will optimize the capture of excess flows in the area where the Peace Creek and Saddle Creek converge to form the headwaters of the Peace River.
• Preservation of the Peace River: Safeguard the delicate salinity balance of the Peace River, a vital resource that supports Charlotte Harbor—an estuary and gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. Charlotte Harbor is home to several endangered species and sustains commercial and recreational harvesting of shrimp, crabs, and fish. Additionally, it has long served as a critical water supply for the people within its watershed.
• Water Quality Enhancement: Implement a RES-designed wetland treatment system to reduce nutrient contribution from flows entering the Peace River after flows have attenuated across the project area.
• Habitat Restoration: Contribute to habitat restoration efforts for various wildlife species adversely affected by the significant regional growth observed in Polk County since 2010.

The Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network (RPWIN) is a grassroots watershed organization based in Racine, Wisconsin, that awards grants to projects that preserve, promote, and protect watershed health.

RPWIN received grant funding to undergo a watershed planning effort and produce a comprehensive Watershed-Based Plan for the Wind Point Watershed that meets requirements as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The primary scope of the Watershed-Based Plan is to restore impaired waters and protect unimpaired waters by developing an ecologically-based plan that focuses on improving water quality by protecting green infrastructure, creating protection policies, implementing ecological restoration, and educating the public.

In February 2016, the Village of Wind Point adopted the Wind Point Watershed-Based Plan as a guide for regional and community water quality management within the Wind Point Watershed.

The Wolf King Mitigation Bank is located within the Neuse River Basin (03020201) in Wayne County. The project restored 8.75 acres of riparian habitat that was extensively used for agricultural production for over 50 years. Water quality stressors that were affecting the site included pollution from crop production, lack of forested riparian buffer, and manipulation of stream features within the project area. The buffer conditions were significantly degrading with the loss of stabilizing vegetation because of continued crop production.

The goal of the project was to restore and preserve the ecological function of the existing stream and ditch features and their associated riparian buffer areas by establishing appropriate plant communities while minimizing temporal and land disturbing impacts and permanently protecting the newly restored buffer in perpetuity through a conservation easement. Buffer and surrounding riparian area improvements will filter runoff from agricultural fields, thereby reducing nutrient and sediment loads to the site channels and provide water quality benefit to the overall watershed. The bank generates riparian buffer mitigation credits and nutrient offset credits.

As salmon resources dwindle worldwide, the importance of spawning grounds in Alaska’s Wood Tik-Chik Park and the Bristol Bay region has become increasingly important. To protect the pacific salmon stock, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated a project to ensure that private properties important to the salmon resources receive high levels of conservation protection.

To assess the conservation potential of 100+ Alaskan native in-holdings in the 1.7-million-acre park, RES partnered with The Conservation Fund to perform ecological assessments and GIS data collection.

The team developed conservation strategies for the highest-ranked parcels and summarized each property’s conservation values. Conservation values were assessed using available data on salmonid use, wildlife use, and field inspections.

Parcels were recommended for protection strategies because of the potential for significant impacts from future development on anadromous fish, migratory birds, other fish, and wildlife.

Protection strategies were grouped into categories: financial, policy and legislation, land use, and education. The analysis suggested a combination of strategies could effectively protect the highest-priority parcels in Wood Tik-Chik. Ongoing work in Alaska is implementing recommendations to meet local and global objectives.

The Woods Creek Reach 10 Restoration Project is located in Ken Carpenter Park between Algonquin and Randall Roads in Lake in the Hills, Illinois. Prior to restoration, a significant amount of eroded sediment from highly incised and eroded streambanks made its way to Woods Creek downstream, resulting in periodic and costly dredging by the Village. Water exiting Woods Creek Lake makes its way to the Fox River near downtown Algonquin.

In 2012, a group of inter-governmental partners, including the Village of Lake in the Hills, applied for and received a 319 Grant and hired RES to prepare the Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan. The watershed plan identified an approximately 2,500 linear foot section of Woods Creek (Woods Creek Reach 10) as a “Critical Area” needing streambank stabilization and riparian area restoration.

In 2018, the Village of Lake in the Hills leveraged the watershed plan to apply for and receive IEPA Section 319 grant funding to design and implement a project to restore Woods Creek Reach 10 with the primary goals of improving water quality, improving wildlife habitat, and improving aesthetic for adjacent residents.

The RES-HR Green Team designed and permitted the restoration plan in 2018 and 2019. RES won the construction bid, with restoration work completed in the Fall of 2019. The work includes ecological restoration of the stream channel, streambanks, and the immediate riparian corridor. This was accomplished by creating a two-stage floodplain channel with appropriately spaced riffles. In addition, RES removed invasive vegetation along the streambanks and riparian corridor and then seeded with native prairie and wetland vegetation. The project also included three years of maintenance to ensure the project establishes.

RES developed a Permittee-Responsible Mitigation (PRM) for Gallo Wineries in anticipation of their manufacturing facility expansion. After identifying the 501-acre site, RES restored approximately 8,000 linear feet of stream. The project involved designing and constructing a stable meandering channel with the appropriate width/depth ratio and stable banks. Our team also enhanced approximately 10,598 linear feet of the stream through invasive control, planting native riparian communities, and implementing some bioengineered and Rosgen stream stabilization techniques. Native fish and other aquatic habitats have already shown improvement due to the installation of features such as brush toes, constructed riffles, log and rock sills, and pools of varying depths. This comprehensive effort has significantly improved water quality in the restored and enhanced streams by reducing sediment load caused by erosion through channel stabilization.

The RES team has also successfully removed an existing dam and associated impoundment while restoring historical stream reach and hydrology. The native riparian buffer was reinstated and has restored natural flow and fish passage from the headwaters to the Catawba River.

Furthermore, RES has enhanced approximately three acres of onsite wetlands and buffers, with an additional 2.81 acres of wetlands restored adjacent to the restored stream channels within the onsite pond footprint. Out of these 2.81 acres, 2.77 acres will generate wetland restoration credit, with the remaining 0.04 acres remaining as ponded areas likely to revegetate naturally.

In a significant step towards conservation, a permanent conservation easement in perpetuity will be established on a portion of the 501.33-acre site. Approximately 32 acres will be donated to the Catawba Indian Nation, with the remainder of the property to be donated to South Carolina Parks and Recreation and Tourism. This will expand the adjacent Landsford Canal State Park, with 239 acres encompassing the mitigation project and conservation easement. RES’s efforts have met regulatory requirements and contributed significantly to preserving and improving the local environment.

York Nutrient Bank is an 86.3-acre property located in New Kent County. The land conversion area within the bank encompasses 44.79+/- acres. During the 2005 baseline date, the property was cultivated for hay and utilized as pasture. It was planted with various hardwood species in the winter of 2015.

Our team assisted the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) with the expansion of the existing Little Cypress Creek between Roberts Road and Bauer Road near the community of Hockley, Texas. The goal is to provide regional stormwater detention volume in accordance with the Little Cypress Creek Master Drainage Program. Our efforts have centered on lowering the flowline of Little Cypress Creek and incorporating about 9,300 feet of Natural Stabilized Channel Design (NSCD) with in-stream structures. This project, a part of HCFCD’s Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program, will increase the regional stormwater basin volume by approximately 450,000 cubic yards.

Project Highlights

• Part of HCFCD Cypress Creek Frontier Program
• 9,300LF of Natural Stable Channel Design to lower the flow line of Little Cypress Creek
• Expansion of detention basin volume by approximately 450,000 cubic yards of off-site disposal