Duck Creek Mitigation Bank

Duck Creek Mitigation Bank is a 30-acre site located in the Watters Smith Memorial State Park, Harrison County, West Virginia, within the West Fork River Watershed (HUC 05020002). The bank was approved by USACE Pittsburgh District in May 2022 for a potential of 10,913.88 stream and 11.0 wetland credits to compensate for unavoidable impacts to waters of the United States within the West Fork (HUC 05020002). Its secondary service area includes Tygart Valley (HUC 05020001), Cheat HUC (05020004), Dunkard (HUC 05020005), and Youghiogheny (HUC 05020006) watersheds.

Duck Creek’s mitigation plan includes stabilizing the stream bank with the installation of natural reinforcements and forested riparian buffers, restoration of the floodplain by lowering stream bank heights and promoting natural overbank flood flows, and increasing that aquatic habitat and fish species diversity and migration through the addition of instream cover and native woody debris.