West Creek Headwaters Restoration “Buckeye”
A stretch of the West Creek in Parma, that is sandwiched between a power equipment retailer and a senior living center had little ecological value. It was inundated with invasive species, had 700 linear feet of channelized stream with an unnatural 90-degree angle, and had no signs of viable wildlife habitat.
West Creek Conservancy commissioned Bio Habitats to relocate and re-meander this stretch, connecting and creating a robust floodplain (a stage 0 channel) for stormwater retention as well as creating an urban oasis for wildlife.
The riffle structures and step pools allowed for oxygenation of the water and plantings along the project area help better filter out the water before heading downstream. Since restoration, amphibious life has taken hold, birds are nesting, and pressure has been taken off of the system downstream.
This project was supported by the OhioEPA, City of Parma and Mayor DeGeeter, Metro Health, West Creek Conservancy, NEORSD, Bio Habitats, and Cleveland Metroparks WVP.