WELP PROJECTS
Big Spring Mitigation Bank
MARSHALL CO., ALABAMA
The proposed Big Spring Mitigation Bank (BSMB) is comprised of 73.5 acres located approximately ten (10) miles to the southwest of Guntersville, Alabama. Big Spring Creek is the one main named perennial stream system flowing through the project site, and is only approximately 30% of the project streams. There are several wetland features on the site, most of which have been anthropogenic altered from the development of a fish farming operation that began in the 1940s, but has long since ceased today. Additionally, a total of seventy-seven (77) minnow pond cells have been identified within the site ranging from ¼ acres to 1.0 acres in size. These cells are separated by earthen berms approximately four (4) to five (5) feet in height consisting of on-site soil material.
Not only has the floodplain wetland areas been “waffled” with the construction of numerous berms, but berms were constructed along Big Spring Creek and several unnamed tributaries which has prevented floodplain connectivity.
The proposed Big Spring Mitigation Bank (BSMB) is submitted by Big Spring Watershed, LLC with a broad goal of providing ecological lift to the Big Spring Creek ecosystem. The majority of the ecological improvements will take place within the property to enhance wetland features back to a natural sustainable and historical forested system, restore impacted or poorly functioning stream reaches, and reforestation to restore the historic ecological communities in the riparian buffer areas.
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*Projects are not funded by WELP.