Dark Corner

Location:
Dark Corner was a functionally impaired wetland, behind an earthen embankment, just northwest of Brinkley, AR

Importance:
The wetland will improve water quality. First, it will act as a sediment basin, capturing and detaining sediment-laden runoff for a significant length of time to allow it to settle out in the basin. Second, vegetation growing throughout the wetland will utilize and capture excess Nitrogen and Phosphorus from upstream sources. The location of the restoration site is ideal for this purpose because it has the highest potential to intercept runoff from the disturbed area of the watershed, while minimizing the potential to adversely affect upstream and downstream farming activities.

The Project:
The Natural State Stream's restoration design sought to achieve the following results:

1. Maintain grade control and channel capacity
3. Facilitate elevated levels of over-bank sediment deposition and nutrient uptake
4. Enhance aquatic habitat and maintain fish passage
5. Restore appropriate channel dimensions, where applicable, including width to depth ratio
6. Create a more natural wetland hydrologic regime
7. Withstand flood events  

This restoration plan utilized existing WRP constructed wetlands as a sediment and nutrient sink by re-routing DCC through a large wetland complex.  
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​Partners:
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
​The Nature Conservancy (TNC)



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