Mitchell River
Stream Restoration Project

 
 

This photo is looking upstream from the old dam post-construction and prior to riparian buffer planting.

Mitchell River

Tributary of the South Fork New River
Surry County, Dobson, NC
Status: Complete
Stream Restored: ~1,500 feet

Partners:

Resource Concern/Issues:

Hurricane Michael dropped more than 10 inches of rain on Surry County. This resulted in the destruction of the historic Kapps Mill dam. The blowout flooded the Mitchell with tons of fine sediment and caused extensive erosion.

In October 2018, Hurricane Michael inundated Surry County dropping more than 10 inches of rain in some areas. This torrent of rain blew out the historic Kapps Mill dam along the Mitchell. After the blowout, the stream was flooded with tons of fine, sandy sediment causing extensive erosion and impairing water quality.

Project Objectives:

  • Improve water quality by reducing sediment loading of the stream, and reduce streambank erosion

  • Stabilize the stream reach to prevent further aggradation or degradation by providing an improved dimension, pattern and/or profile that will improve sediment transport, and manage surface waters and groundwater levels in floodplains, riparian areas, and wetlands

  • Construct rock and woody structures to provide instream habitat, stabilize streambanks and the channel bed

  • Establish a riparian buffer, remove invasive plant species and reestablish native plants, trees, and shrubs