Big Branch

The Big Branch project was constructed in 2007 and is over 5,000 ft. This project is located in Martin County, KY and is in the Tug Fork River basin. The Big Branch streams have been impacted in the past from mining and logging activities. These impacts include, but are not limited to: channelization, ponds, increased sedimentation, and loss of riparian. The combination of these impacts has resulted in a loss of fish and macroinvertebrate diversity and available habitat.

Plans were developed to accommodate the existing pattern of the stream, but the dimensions and profiles were altered to provide stability within the channel based on reference reach criteria. Many structures were employed to many different types of habitat for fishes and macroinvertebrates. Some of the structures utilized were boulder clusters, toe rock for bank stability, log cross-vanes, and step-pool features.