Location

Canton, Ohio

IMPACT

The benefit to the client was time and cost savings. The benefit to the watershed was restoring the natural hydrology and biologic structure of the wetlands and streams in a shortened timeframe, thereby reducing the temporal loss of function.

Canton Wetland and Stream Restoration

Work was being performed on two existing substation facilities surrounded by acres of emergent and forested wetlands as well as perennial and ephemeral streams. Work occurred outside of the planned construction limits, resulting in unauthorized impacts to waters of the U.S. The owner of the site was faced with a choice: purchase mitigation bank credits to compensate for the impact or restore the features on-site and be subject to up to ten years of monitoring and maintenance requirements.

Environmental Design Group worked with the owner to develop an onsite restoration plan including the grading and planting plans at both sites, identifying and addressing site constraints unique to each site. Our team provided construction observations services and conducted twice-yearly monitoring at each site. Activities included delineating the restored wetland boundary, performing stream assessments, and conducting vegetation assessments including Vegetation Index of Biotic Integrity (VIBI) in restored wetlands and buffers. We recommended and oversaw annual maintenance activities. We prepared annual monitoring reports for submittal to the resource agencies and led annual on-site field meetings with resource agency personnel.