Fire Tower Stream Mitigation Project

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.