West Creek at Buckeye Stream Restoration

Urban stream restoration enhances habitat and reduces pollutant loads entering Lake Erie.

West Creek, which flows through Parma, OH, is a tributary to the Cuhayoga River and ultimately, Lake Erie. Tightly sandwiched between a senior living center and a power equipment retailer, a portion of West Creek had lost ecological value.

In a design-build capacity, Biohabitats helped the West Creek Conservancy, a non-profit dedicated to protecting natural habitats and restoring the ecological value and sustainability of urban land in the Greater Cleveland area, restore the degraded portion of the creek to improve water quality and habitat. Construction implementation was led by Meadville Land Service.

The project involved relocating 500 linear feet of West Creek to reestablish floodplain connectivity, create a “Stage 0” anastomosing channel network, and restore a headwater wetland system. Biohabitats’ approach restored natural ecological systems and processes along the existing and relocated channel, reduced nonpoint pollution loadings from an adjacent property, improved riparian and upland habitat, removed invasive species, and enhanced the visual and aesthetic character of this urban area.

TAGS

• Analysis+Planning
• Assessment+Monitoring
• Design
• Design-Build
• Ecological Restoration