In 1939, a dam was built at the Sam Davis Historic Home and Plantation along Stewart Creek in Tennessee.
Over time, it fell into disrepair, hindering stream function and blocking aquatic organisms. KCI engineers were hired to create design drawings, secure permits, and oversee the dam’s removal and stream stabilization. This project, the first dam removal for mitigation purposes in the state, required using the new Stream Quantification Tool for credit determination.
KCI’s Environmental Technologies and Construction team handled the construction, executing a phased plan for efficient completion and flexibility during high water levels. Our team installed woody debris and rock to enhance instream habitat and conducted supplemental planting in protected riparian buffers. By reusing dam materials, they minimized resource needs and kept the historic site open to visitors without disruption.
The project transformed the slow-moving environment into a free-flowing stream with diverse habitats, improving Stewart Creek’s overall function. Demolition, stabilization, and habitat improvement were completed in under 30 days, ahead of the six-week schedule, resulting in restored stream function and habitat.
