Learn more about the Cumberland River Compact’s restoration of North Ewingville Creek (a.k.a. Ralston Branch) at Franklin’s beloved Pinkerton Park! Knowledgeable Compact staff will have a table set up to answer your questions about the project and how it ties back to our organization’s mission of promoting clean and abundant water for everyone in the Cumberland River basin. Plus, there will be family-friendly activities that let you get up-close-and-personal with the critters that call the creek home!
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to complete a stream restoration project, this is your opportunity to speak directly to the people behind the effort. You’ll even get to walk down to the restoration site to learn about the methods being used to improve the stream and its riparian buffer, including:
- Regrading banks to make them less steep
- Installing biodegradable reinforcements to prevent erosion, known as bioengineering
- Removing invasive plants and planting native species in their place
Know Before You Go
- Show up any time between 9:00 AM- 11:00 AM to talk about the project. No registration is required.
- Compact staff will set up a table at the back of Pinkerton Park, near the trail that leads to Fort Granger. Expect a 3-5 minute walk from the parking lot.
- Dress comfortably and for the weather. Shoes and pants that cover the ankles are recommended to walk down to the stream bank. Wear a hat and sunscreen!
This stream bank restoration project is a collaboration between the Cumberland River Compact and the City of Franklin to improve the health of the stream running through the park. This stream, known as N. Ewingville Creek or Ralston Branch, is a small tributary to the Harpeth River.
Various parts of the Harpeth River are threatened due to sediment, nutrients, low dissolved oxygen, pathogens, degraded habitats, and heavy metals. Some of these problems are a result from nonpoint sources of pollution like pollutants picked up by runoff. Nutrients from lawn and farm fertilizers can cause too much algae to grow in the water, making it hard for fish and other aquatic creatures to get the oxygen they need to live. Sediment, which is small particles of dirt and rocks, comes from erosion. This can cover the habitat at the bottom of the river, making it difficult for aquatic species to survive. This project will prevent sediment pollution and improve habitats along the stream, benefiting water quality and the organisms that call this stream and the Harpeth River home.
This cooperative project has been funded, in part, by an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Nonpoint Source Program, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
