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Major Basin: Mississippi-Missouri

  • South Marsh Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area

    Big Bend State Fish & Wildlife Area is a 2,376-acre area owned and managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The property was drained to facilitate agricultural production prior to IDNR ownership. The wetland habitats at Big Bend SFWA consists of fallow agricultural fields, bottomland forest, emergent marsh, and remnant oxbow backwaters. The Arconic Foundation contributed to the planning and development phase that included staff time, land surveys, and permitting of this large watershed restoration that is planned to complete in 2026. The restoration will install new water control infrastructure capable of both managing floodwaters and providing the IDNR with active wetland control to promote production of desirable moist soil plants and maintain healthy bottomland hardwood forests.

  • Little River Marbled Darter Fish Restoration

    To prevent the loss of a species of unique fish, the Little River Marbled Darter, this project consisted of activities to regenerate the local fish population in the Little River. The Marbled Darter population is considered stable but extremely vulnerable. Without interventions from conservation organizations such as Conservation Fisheries Inc. and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), any adverse event could cause irreversible declines. Arconic Foundation supported the hatching and relocation of Marbled Darter fish in two project locations along the French Broad River and the Little River.

  • Citico Creek Watershed Restoration & Aquatic Connectivity Projects

    Culverts are human-made interruptions to naturally flowing creek ecosystems that prevent local fish populations and other aquatic species from continuing in their migrations. The Nature Conservancy in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service in East Tennessee is continuing aquatic connectivity work in the Cherokee National Forest, and with the support of the Arconic Foundation, funding was leveraged to complete seven culvert replacements and a dam within the Citico Creek watershed, which contains designated critical habitat for 3 federally listed fishes, and more than 60 total fish species. The set of project plans enable barrier removals in this high priority watershed, including reconnection of 15 linear miles of priority habitat for listed species in Citico Creek. The conservation benefits of this work include improved stream network connectivity and aquatic organism passage, reduced risk of sedimentation, and transportation infrastructure resiliency during large rain events. 

  • Soil Health work in the Red River Watershed

    Approximately 98 miles in length, the Red River is one of the major tributaries of the Cumberland River. The 1,453 square mile watershed includes lands in both Kentucky and Tennessee. Within this watershed, roughly 371 miles of waterways are found to be impaired, where agriculture is listed as a suspected source. With assistance from KY Energy & Environment Cabinet, National Resource Conservation Services, and county Soil & Water Conservation District offices, our partners at the Cumberland River Compact will work with farmers to implement agricultural best management practices on farms in the Red River watershed. Agricultural practices will focus on nutrient load reduction and will prioritize historically underserved farmers.

  • Reforestation of Previously Mined Lands

    The Reforestation of Previously Mined Lands project, led by the Cumberland River Compact (CRC), aims to restore 50 acres of mined land within the Nature Conservancy’s Cumberland Forest in Tennessee. The project will involve removing invasive species, “ripping” the compacted soil to improve water infiltration, and planting 35,000 native tree seedlings, including oaks and shortleaf pine, to enhance water absorption and cool nearby streams.

  • Laramie County Mariah Pasture Rehabilitation

    The Laramie County Conservation District (LCCD), in collaboration with the City of Cheyenne, is restoring hydrologic and ecological function in Sand Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River. The project involves dredging a sediment-filled reservoir on city-owned land to restore its storage capacity for recreation, irrigation, and stock watering. Additionally, LCCD will install Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) along 1,800 feet of Sand Creek to improve floodplain connectivity, increase groundwater recharge, and enhance aquatic habitat. By addressing sediment buildup and stream channelization, the project aims to stabilize streambanks, support riparian vegetation, and provide long-term ecological benefits for water resources in southeastern Wyoming.

  • Crow Creek Stream Restoration

    The Laramie County Conservation District (LCCD) will implement a stream restoration project on Crow Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River in southeastern Wyoming. The project will install barbs, Post Assisted Log Structures (PALs), and Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) along a 2-mile stretch of the creek, aimed at improving floodplain connectivity and stream meander. These structures will enhance hydrologic and ecological function by raising the water table, increasing bank storage, and promoting riparian vegetation growth.

  • Arapaho Ranch Forest Resilience

    In partnership with the Boulder Watershed Collective, and Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), regional government agencies, and neighboring landowners, the project aims to manage 43 acres in Arapaho Forest, in the Colorado Rockies. The project will maintain an area that has a high potential for fire danger, in order to prevent a forest fire the area will thin out tree density. Thinning out tree density and overgrown underbrush will create a healthier and more diverse ecosystem. This work protects critical drinking water sources and is in an area particularly vulnerable to drought, wildfires, and land development.

  • Arkansas Mountain Fire Fuels Reduction

    The Arkansas Mountain Fuels Reduction Project is a 92-acre forest restoration and wildfire mitigation initiative located in a dense mountain neighborhood west of Boulder, CO. Situated about two miles from the City of Boulder water treatment plant at Betasso Preserve, the project spans over 10 private properties and connects to a 300-acre fuels reduction effort completed by Boulder County in 2017 on Parks and Open Space lands.