Twin Creek Preserve Project Summary

The Twin Creek Preserve Project is a collaborative effort lead by the Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities (MCWCC) with support and partnership by Butler County Water and Sewer Department, Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, and the City of Sharonville. Project funding comes from the Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program of the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund and the Section 319 Non Point Source Implementation Grant, which are administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. 

View the printable Project Summary

The restoration project is located in the Upper Mill Creek (UMC) watershed at the confluence of the Mill Creek’s main stem and the East Fork of Mill Creek. The project setting is a heavily developed commercial district north of Cincinnati and within sight of the I-75 and I-275 interchange. The approximately 30 acre parcel is owned by the City of Sharonville. Project construction began in early February 2011. The estimated project value is $2.2 million, including local services in kind. AMEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. is designing a project that has goals for improved water quality, channel stability, aquatic and riparian habitat, floodplain storage and recreation. Measures to be implemented include channel relocation, excavation of soil to create a floodplain wetland, bioengineered stream banks, in-stream habitat structures, riparian planting and recreation trails.

Specific restoration elements will include:

  • Natural channel design to increase sinuosity by channel shaping and increased meanders
  • Floodplain re-creation by excavating one or both sides of the stream in order to reconnect the stream with the flood plain
  • Wetland creation by excavating depressions to various depths to retain seasonal floods and to establish a variety of wet soil conditions
  • Riparian restoration by planting the flood-prone zone with native riparian trees and shrubs
  • In-stream habitat restoration through the construction of riffles, j-hook weirs and boulder clusters
  • Recreational trail construction with educational signage

Expected outcomes of the restoration will include:

  • Reduced stream bank erosion
  • Elimination of channel down-cutting
  • Creation of high quality pool/riffle/run complexes
  • Increased aquatic and terrestrial habitat and species diversity
  • Improved bedload conveyance
  • Improved retention of high flows with stream meanders and floodplain connectivity
  • Reduced siltation
  • Increased dissolved oxygen content
  • Improved assimilative capacity of urban runoff pollutants
  • Attainment of WWH use designation
  • Provide passive and active recreation such as hiking, bird watching, and education.
  • Ongoing involvement from the community through service projects

The Mill Creek has a long history of industrial, commercial and residential development. It has been subjected to channelization, sediment deposits from construction sites, increased runoff from impervious surfaces, point and non-point source discharges, floodplain filling, and encroachment and loss of riparian corridors. The Mill Creek and East Fork Mill Creek are not satisfying the Ohio EPA’s guidelines for a Warm Water Habitat, which is the designated aquatic life use for both streams.

This project is a unique, large scale undertaking. It will create at least 5,000 feet of restored stream channel and a substantial riparian floodplain to help alleviate localized flooding. It also should improve chances of Mill Creek watershed compliance with state biological and water quality standards. Historically, stream restoration projects on the Mill Creek have been smaller, isolated or segmented.

On November 15th, 2011, MCWCC invited the public to attend a Grand Opening Ceremony of Twin Creek Preserve.  Tours of the project site were avalible upon request.  Updates on Twin Creek Preserve are posted here and in e-newsletters. MCWCC is also developing educational and volunteer programs for the public and for high school and college students. This program, “Vegetation for Volunteers,” will strengthen long term community involvement in the project. Volunteers will work with project leaders and will be provided with an in-depth learning experience in restored stream and wetland maintenance. Volunteers also will eradicate invasive, non-native plant species from the project site and replace them with native plugs, trees, shrubs and live stakes.

For more information please contact Annie Rahall, Administrative Assistant of Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities at 513-563-8800 or arahall@millcreekwatershed.org.