The Pen Branch Project: Restoration of a Forested Wetland in South Carolina

Abstract

The Pen Branch Project is a program to restore a forested riparian wetland that has been subject to thermal disturbance caused by nuclear reactor operations at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS), an 80,200-hectare nuclear facility located in South Carolina. Various levels of thermal discharges to streams located across the US. have occurred and continue to occur as a result of nuclear operations, electric power production, paper production, sewage treatment and other causes. Although thermal discharges occur, we are not aware of any other wetland restoration project implemented because of thermal impacts, mainly because impacts from these various industries are hiily regulated and relatively minimal compared to the level of disturbance that has occurred in Pen Branch.

Citation

Kolka, Randall K.; Nelson, Eric A.; Bonar, Ronald E.; Dulohery, Neil C.; Gartner, David. 1998. The Pen Branch Project: Restoration of a Forested Wetland in South Carolina. Resoration & Management Notes, Vol. 16, No. 2, Winter 1998