The genesis (or requirement and need) for stream and wetland restoration stems from the Clean Water Act and federal requirements to offset stream and wetland impacts from roadway and development projects, often called stream and/or wetland mitigation.

For example, when the North Carolina Division of Transportation (NCDOT) builds a new road through a swamp or a developer fills in a stream for an apartment building, they are required through permitting processes to mitigate for these stream and wetland impacts in the same watershed in which these impacts took place.

Clearwater Mitigation develops and builds stream and wetland restoration projects, which produce stream and wetland credits to offset these impacts.

Stream and wetland restoration, often called mitigation, involves returning certain bottomland areas currently in agricultural, pasture, and/or timber to a more natural stream and wetland system by re-contouring the land, plugging ditches in strategic locations, bringing the water back to drained wetlands, and planting native hardwood trees and shrub species.

In most cases, these areas can be returned to streams and wetlands, while not affecting adjacent land uses. Unlike most current farm incentive programs, through a contract with Clearwater Mitigation, the landowner is compensated with payment on a per-acre basis, which will exceed the appraised value of the land. These restored streams, wetlands, and planted areas are required to be placed into a permanent conservation easement and should be the right for the land owner’s long-term goals.

Ideal sites for restoration are streams that have been straightened, moved, or impounded, wetlands have been ditched or drained, livestock is not fenced out of waterways, and where traditional agricultural practices have farmed these areas, with little to no vegetation along the drainageways.

In addition to work conducted to restore stream and wetland areas, Clearwater Mitigation will install cattle fencing, water wells and cattle watering stations, and provide  crossings over streams. We can perform this work while ensuring the land owner maintains current and future land uses.

The North Carolina Division of Mitigation Services (NCDMS) is the State Agency in charge of administering contracts and oversight of stream and wetland restoration projects performed on behalf of the State of North Carolina. NCDMS evaluates current and planned impacts from the North Carolina Division of Transportation (NCDOT) and private developers, then issues requests for proposals in specific river basins where the development or roadway projects are planned. Ideal sites for restoration are streams that have been straightened, moved, or impounded, wetlands have been ditched or drained, livestock is not fenced out of waterways, and where traditional agricultural practices have farmed these areas, with little to no vegetation along the drainageways.

Much like when NCDOT is looking to build a road in a certain region of the State, the NCDMS looks for experienced contractors to perform the design and construction of the stream and wetland restoration project where the project is needed.

Clearwater Mitigation responds to the request for proposals and has a history of providing high quality stream, wetland, and riparian buffer restoration projects, while meeting project success criteria and satisfaction of the land owner.

• Clearwater Mitigation works to identify areas which would make for good stream and wetland restoration projects in watersheds where there is a need for stream and wetland mitigation.
• Clearwater Mitigation works with the land owner to identify areas on their property that would qualify and produces a map of these areas on the property. If the land owner elects to move forward a conservation easement option agreement with the land owner is executed, which is a real estate agreement signed by both parties, that allows for purchase and payment for a conservation easement if the project is awarded the contract by NCDMS.
• After submittal, it takes four to six months for awards to be announced.
• After notification of an award, the survey and design phase takes about one year to be completed and approved, and at that time the real estate closing can take place, with the land owner paid for the conservation easement. 
• Construction usually takes place in the summer and planting is completed the following winter or dormant period. Wells and cattle drinkers are generally installed before construction, and fencing will follow as the project is completed.
• Finally, the site is monitored by Clearwater Mitigation for seven years to make sure that the stream or wetlands are stable and healthy.

A conservation easement is a written agreement between a landowner and the State of North Carolina that is placed on the stream and wetland restoration corridor to protect the mitigation work from future development and incidental impacts.

All conservation easements used for the North Carolina Division of Mitigation Services (NCDMS) are perpetual and should be thought out by all parties to ensure current and future land uses. Breaks can be placed in the conservation easement to allow for access to other portions of the property. This easement lasts in perpetuity but has no restrictions on the surrounding land and does NOT allow the general public to access the site.

Clearwater Mitigation employees will need to access the easement periodically for seven years to conduct monitoring surveys. The property under the conservation easement cannot be used for commercial, residential or industrial development or cultivation, but instead will be kept in a natural state. It can be used for passive recreation, such as walking or hunting, at the land owner’s discretion.