Terra Technologies has designed and constructed a 70-acre Wetland and Stream Mitigation Bank near Grain Valley, Missouri.
The first wetland or stream mitigation bank on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro area, this project transformed floodplain agricultural land that has been planted with row crops for several decades into a functioning wetland mitigation site and riparian buffer. The creation of wetlands and riparian corridors on this site will be used to compensate for impacts to wetlands and streams by projects in the bank’s service area, which includes virtually all of Jackson, Ray, Lafayette, Saline and Pettis counties as well as parts of Clay, Cass, Johnson, Benton, Morgan, Moniteau, Cooper, Chariton, Carroll, Clinton and Caldwell counties.
The design of the site took advantage of its location adjacent to a perennial stream for the restoration of a wide riparian buffer. Areas further from the stream have soils that are more conducive for wetland development. Large amounts of microtopography throughout the poorly drained soils captures sufficient surface water to develop wetland conditions. Additionally, site excavation has enhanced the hydrology of the site by bringing the soil surface closer to the shallow ground water table.
Most of the site has been planted as a forested wetland, which is appropriate based on the landscape position of the site within the floodplain of a large stream. Within the forested areas, large spaces have been excavated to a greater depth to create shallow marsh areas, which will provide an additional amount of habitat diversity and will enhance habitat for migrating waterfowl, which already use a shallow swale on the site as resting ground.
Terra Technologies oversaw construction of this mitigation bank, is monitoring the site, and is selling the resulting wetland and stream credits to third parties. Construction of the site was completed in 2008.
This bank was approved in 2009. Credits are available at published rates for 0.1 through 5.0 acre purchases. Discounted rates apply for larger purchases.
Contact our St. Louis office at
314-984-0050 for more information.
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