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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
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Modifying the Bank Erosion Hazard Index BEHI Protocol for Rapid Assessment of Streambank Erosion in Northeastern Ohio
Published on: February 12, 2015
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Landscape characteristics of a stream and wetland mitigation banking program
Todd BenDor1, Joel Sholtes, Martin W Doyle
1Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina, CB #3140, New East Building, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3140, USA. bendor@unc.edu
Summary
Stream mitigation in North Carolina often relocates streams great distances from their original impacts, sometimes across watersheds. This spatial shift raises concerns for landscape-scale ecological consistency in restoration efforts.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecological Restoration
- Geospatial Analysis
Background:
- Stream restoration is increasingly used in US environmental management under compensatory mitigation regulations.
- Stream mitigation practices are evolving similarly to wetland mitigation, prompting investigation into spatial and ecological effects.
- Understanding the landscape-scale impacts of stream mitigation is crucial for effective environmental policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the spatial relationships between stream impact and compensation sites in North Carolina.
- To investigate how developer actions influence stream impacts and their characteristics.
- To determine the extent to which stream compensation alters stream network quality and watershed-level aquatic resources.
Main Methods:
- Geospatial data analysis using information from the North Carolina Division of Water Quality and the Army Corps of Engineers.
- Examination of the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program's mitigation practices.
- Comparison of impact and compensation site locations, distances, and watershed distributions.
Main Results:
- Stream mitigation in North Carolina is provided differently based on permittee type.
- Compensation sites are located at significant Euclidean and network distances from impact sites.
- Mitigation sites are frequently situated in different watersheds than the original stream impacts.
- Data quality issues were identified in regulatory data collection and storage.
Conclusions:
- North Carolina's stream mitigation program results in significant spatial decoupling of impacts and compensation sites.
- This spatial relocation has implications for landscape-scale ecological consistency and watershed health.
- Findings highlight challenges in current market-based ecological restoration approaches and regulatory data management.
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