Hominy Swamp Creek Greenway and Stormwater Park Master Plan

Project Description

Biohabitats, as a subcontractor to Alta Planning+Design, contributed concepts to the City of Wilson’s submission for a grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund. The proposal consisted of a greenway/stormwater master plan for Hominy Swamp Creek, a Clean Water Act Section 303d listed stream, which flows through the City of Wilson, NC. The intent of the proposal was to capitalize on the water quality benefits of 2,230 feet of stream restoration that had previously been done on an upstream portion of the project. Upon grant award, Biohabitats surveyed the entire project reach, totaling approximately 2.8 miles. Locations were identified for an array of water quality and ecological improvements- stream restoration in areas of channel instability, buffer restoration/enhancement in disturbed riparian areas, invasive species control areas, and stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) retrofit sites. Alta Planning designed a greenway/park system that was integrated into the stream/buffer restoration and stormwater BMP locations. The concept for a large stormwater treatment BMP in a flood-prone area of the reach, that doubles as a public park and greenway area, was developed as a centerpiece of the master plan. The project team provided the City of Wilson with a blueprint for improving water quality, providing recreational greenspace, and potentially providing enough ecological uplift to remove Hominy Swamp Creek from the 303d list.