Last updated: September 2024
The Three Mile Creek Hydrological Restoration project is taking place in one historic channel of the Three Mile Creek, located east of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, and covering approximately 1,800 linear feet (Ref 3). This project, led by the City of Mobile, aims to remove sediment from the stream channel. This segment of the Creek was bypassed with a straight channel in the early 1980s to control flooding in the area, thus accelerating the accumulation of sediments in the historic channel (Ref 1). The project's goal is to restore and maintain the natural flow to the historic channel and create a connection to the City and County's Blueway initiatives (Ref 3). This will improve habitat conditions and water quality and help to protect the area’s estuarine and marine water resources (Ref 8). It will also contribute to revitalizing the Three Mile Creek Watershed and provide increased recreational opportunities for citizens, like kayaking and canoeing (Ref 6). Construction work occurred in 2022 and 2023 (Ref 3). The Three Mile Creek Hydrological Restoration is a key component of the Mobile Bay Shore Habitat Conservation and Acquisition Initiative, which focuses on acquiring, restoring, and preserving habitats, including riparian, wetland, and upland areas that support various fish and wildlife species affected by the environmental disasters of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that occurred in 2010 (Ref 1). The project spans three critical areas: 450 acres within the Three Mile Creek Watershed (as detailed in this project profile), 300 acres in the Dog River Watershed, and 40 acres of bay shore property in the Garrows Bend Watershed (with the latter two areas being part of separate initiatives) (Ref 4).
Sattelite view of the historic channel of the Three Mile Creek that the project aims to dredge
https://mapformobile.org/3mchydrological/ accessed on 30/08/2024
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Coastlines
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
- Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
- Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- River flooding
- Urban flooding (stormwater)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Poor water quality
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration, Restoration, protecion and sustainable manage floodplains, Restoration of riparian vegetation, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems)
Project objectives
The project mostly focuses on restoring and maintaining the natural flow to the Three Mile Creek. Sub-goals of the project include:
- removal of sediment from the channel (Ref 1)
- enhancing its flood control capacity (Ref 1)
- returning and preserving natural flow (Ref 1)
- provide a linkage to the City and County Blueway efforts (Ref 1)
- improve habitat conditions (Ref 5)
- restore water quality (Ref 5)
- help to protect the area’s estuarine and marine water resources (Ref 5)
- provide increased recreational opportunities for citizens (Ref 5)
Implementation activities
- The project includes the sediment removal from the stream channel east of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Avenue (1,800 linear feet) to restore and preserve the natural water flow (Ref 1).
- Instream structures were planned to be constructed to reduce stream velocity/energy, protect existing sanitary sewer crossings, and increase natural habitat (Ref 1).
- Stabilize the bank and stream along Twelve Mile Creek (Ref 1).
- Dredging the historical creek (Ref 6) and dredging and restorating of Langan Park Lake (Ref 1).
"The Three Mile Creek Watershed Restoration project is separated into three phases:
Phase 1: Twelve Mile Creek Bank Stabilization University Blvd to Museum Drive (2022-2024)
Phase 2: Twelve Mile Creek Bank Stabilization East Drive to University Blvd (2023 - 2024)
Phase 3: Langan Lake Dredging (2023-2024)" (Ref 1).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore mangroves, marshes, reefs and wetlands to dissipate the effects of storms and floodwaters
- Restore rivers and other fresh water bodies to reduce flood or drought risk
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Project Lead: City of Mobile
Partners: University of South Alabama, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, MAWSS, The Village of Spring Hill, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NGO)
Supporting implementation: Moffatt & Nichol (private sector)
Fundings: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, RESTORE Council (Ref. 1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
("This project was paid for [in part] with federal funding from the Department of the Treasury under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act)" (Ref. 1))
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Mobile Bay Shore Habitat Conservation and Acquisition Initiative (Ref 3, 4))
Type of enablers
Capacity-building projects, Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public regional budget
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Expected improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Economic impacts
- More sustainable tourism
- Expected more sustainable tourism
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Expected protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
map for mobile (n.d.). Projects Underway Three Mile Creek Hydrological Restoration. Mobile, Al: map for mobile, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Moffat and Nichol (n.d.). Priorities guide the Mobile Bay Shore Habitat Conservation and Acquisition Initiative, as a city implements restoration and conservation.. Mobile, Al: Moffat and Nichol, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
3.
NFWF (n.d.). Mobile Bay Shore Habitat Conservation and Acquisition Initiative- Phase II. Mobile, Al: NFWF, p. 1 Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
4.
City of Mobile (n.d.). Contract presented to conserve the coast. Mobile, Al: City of Mobile, p. 1 Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
5.
WPMI Web Staff (2017). City of Mobile awarded $6.9 million grant to conserve the coast. Mobile, Al: NBC News 15, p. 2 Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Lane, K. (2023). City of Mobile begins dredging historic Three Mile Creek channel. Mobile, Al: NBC News 15, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
7.
City-Data.com (2022). Demographics Fisher. Mobile, Al: City-Data.com, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Hrvacevic, Z. (2023). Three Mile Creek dredging project underway Authorities & Government. Mobile, Al: Dedgingtoday.com, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.