Purlear Creek Restoration
Wilkes County, NC
Faculty, staff, and students associated with the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering worked with the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources (DFR) to complete a comprehensive stream restoration demonstration project on Purlear Creek on the Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest (RMESF) property in Wilkes County. The project was implemented in two phases in 2006 and 2007 and is successfully meeting its goals of improved water quality and aquatic habitat.
Funding was used to restore sections of Purlear Creek and a tributary on the RMESF property. The project work included planning, assessment, design, construction, construction contingency and water quality monitoring. The primary goals of this project were to improve water quality and habitat in Purlear Creek, (stream classification “C, WS-IV”) which is a candidate for an improved classification to High Quality Waters (HQW) designation, upon completion of this restoration project.
The purpose of this project was to design and implement a natural channel design project to achieve the highest water quality and habitat potential for the Purlear Creek watershed. This site serves as a public demonstration and research project to help determine best management practices for restoring natural stream functions in watersheds that suffer from excessive nonpoint source pollution, especially sedimentation. This objective fits well with the educational and research missions of DFR and NCSU. Among the educational aspects of this project is demonstrating the long-term ecological impacts of improper logging practices on a stream’s environmental quality. This restoration project is being used as an example for foresters, loggers, and other forestry professionals as to what practices would be needed to mitigate damage to a stream that may occur when forestry practices do not utilize BMPs or otherwise prevent nonpoint source pollution.
Phase 1 was completed in 2006, including construction and planting of 700 linear feet of new stream channel (Priority 1 relocation) on the Purlear Creek tributary in addition to 2 acres of new riparian wetland adjacent to the confluence of this tributary with Purlear Creek.
Phase 2 was completed in 2007, including construction and planting of 1900 linear feet of new and enhanced stream channel (Priority 1 relocation and Priority 2 floodplain excavation) on Purlear Creek in addition to 1400 linear feet of stream enhancement through sediment removal in Purlear Creek upstream of the construction area.
Phase 3 is currently under construction.
During each phase, engineered plans were created based on reference reaches to restore natural physical and ecological stream functions. These plans were used to obtain necessary permits and to sub-contract with North State Environmental for construction services. During construction, educational workshops were conducted to teach contractors, consultants, and agency representatives about natural stream construction techniques. In 2007, GPS-based construction technologies were used for demonstrating efficient land-grading techniques. The site has also been used for at least 3 additional educational tours following implementation.
| Project Length: | 4,000 ft. |
| Date of Construction Completion: | 2007 |
| Designer: | NC State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering |
| Contractor: | NC Division of Forest Resources |
| Partners: | North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission |
