Unique stream restoration project designed to improve water quality within a local urban historic district

Peterson Avenue Stream Restoration

Crescent Hill is in an historic district in Louisville with a nearby stream and wetland corridor in need of ecosystem restoration to help bring the stream back to life for frogs, turtles, crayfish, and other aquatic wildlife. And, in turn, a better-functioning stream would also help improve the Beargrass Creek and Ohio River watersheds. With restricted access, historic stonewall features, and combined sewers within the Peterson Avenue site, restoring the stream would feature some challenges, but we rose to the task.

Working in partnership with the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District and the Louisville-Jefferson County Environmental Trust on this unique project, we removed woody invasive plant species, relocated the stream, restored the wetland, and reconnected the stream to an existing riparian wetland by increasing floodplain access. To facilitate the rehabilitation of the stream, we installed engineered structures and toe wood root structures—logs and tree rootwads cleared from the site— to provide habitat features for aquatic wildlife, stabilize the stream bed, and prevent erosion by stabilizing the stream’s banks. We also created additional wetland area around the stream with native wetland and riparian corridor seed mixes.  

The happy result? Now, the stream flows more naturally with increased habitat for aquatic species and improved water quality in a project that was on-time and within budget.