INTRODUCTION
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FOR THE SILVERY MINNOW
PLANET
PEOPLE
POSITIVE IMPACTS
CONSERVE HABITAT
ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY
PARTNERSHIPS
PRESERVE AND PROTECT
GOVERNANCE
PRESERVE AND RESTORE
RESTORING GREGORYS CREEK In South Carolina, SWCA and our client have transformed one of the state’s largest
banks and improved water flow. Over 100,000 native trees were planted,
mitigation banking sites—530 acres of degraded streams and wetlands—into a
reestablishing a healthy riparian buffer. These efforts not only enhanced fish
thriving ecosystem. Years of agricultural impact had left Gregorys Creek and its
passage and wetlands, but also reconnected two sections of Sumter National
13 tributaries deeply incised, with eroded banks, poor water quality, and limited
Forest, creating a critical wildlife corridor for threatened species like the tricolored
aquatic habitat. Recognizing the site’s significance to its watershed, the client
bat (Perimyotis subflavus).
partnered with SWCA ecological restoration experts to repair the area using science-driven techniques.
The project serves as a model for large-scale ecological restoration, demonstrating how innovative engineering and sustainable practices can reverse environmental
The team designed and implemented a comprehensive mitigation plan, restoring
degradation. With SWCA’s ongoing monitoring, Gregorys Creek will continue to
over 47,000 feet of stream through natural channel design. By raising
flourish, ensuring lasting benefits for South Carolina’s freshwater ecosystems.
streambeds, adding meanders, and installing in-stream structures, they stabilized
Once abundant throughout the Rio Grande Basin, the Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) now occupies only a fraction of its historic range. Habitat loss, altered river flows, and climate pressures have led to significant declines, making it one of North America’s most at-risk fish species. For more than 25 years, SWCA has worked with agencies, such as the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, the Middle Rio Grande Conservation District, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, USFWS, and the Bureau of Reclamation to support conservation and recovery efforts. Our work includes population monitoring, habitat restoration, and scientific studies to ensure that water management practices account for the needs of the species. Beyond monitoring, SWCA has played a key role in designing and implementing restoration projects that improve habitat conditions for the silvery minnow, with a specific focus on promoting breeding and refugia habitat through the creation of floodplains and backwater channels. Our team also contributes to long-term adaptive management strategies, working closely with stakeholders to balance
READ MORE ABOUT SWCA’S WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
species recovery with river system resilience.
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