Beaver/N. Canadian D ILF Stream & Wetland Mitigation Site 1 - Wewoka Creek
Hughes County, Oklahoma
The Wewoka Creek Mitigation Site is Terra Foundation's first approved mitigation site within the Beaver/North Canadian D Service Area. This mitigation site is being constructed in two phases. This 97-acre mitigation site along Wewoka Creek compensates for authorized impacts to wetlands and streams throughout the Lower North Canadian Watershed (HUC 11100302) in central Oklahoma.
This mitigation site was significantly altered by channelizing and impounding multiple tributaries for agricultural use. Significant portions of Wewoka Creek, Fish Creek, and their tributaries are incised with substantial bank erosion. In addition, the riparian corridor along Wewoka Creek is highly degraded with a dominance of agricultural and invasive species.
To address the impairments at the site, a number of restoration efforts are being undertaken, including:
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Restoration, enhancement, and preservation of over 75 acres of riparian and upland buffers.
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Restoration of over 5 acres of forested and emergent wetlands.
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Installation of log and rock riffles in Fish Creek and an intermittent tributary to stabilize the streambeds and enhance pool and riffle aquatic habitat.
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Restoration of an impounded intermittent tributary by removal of a dam and culvert to allow for aquatic life movement.
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The riparian buffer is undergoing a significant restoration effort with prescribed burning, chemical treatment of invasive species, reseeding with a diverse mix of grasses and wildflowers, and planting of over 13,000 trees.​​
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Restoration efforts are anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025. ​
