Conasauga Bend Mitigation Bank

The Conasauga Bend Mitigation Bank is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved mitigation bank offering wetland mitigation credits for Riverine Wetland impacts in the Conasauga, Coosawattee, Oostanaula and Upper Coosa Service Areas. Conasauga Bend may also provide credits for impacts in the secondary Service Area that includes the Etowah basin. The Bank is surrounded on three sides by the Conasauga River and is adjacent to the Prater Island Wildlife Management Area. Mitigation efforts include the restoration, enhancement and preservation of 43.78 acres of riverine wetland and restoration of 20.48 acres of associated upland buffer.

The Conasauga River is one of the last free-flowing rivers in the larger Coosa Watershed. Restoration and conservation of this river and associated tributaries are a top priority for many conservation groups due to the extraordinary diversity of aquatic species found there and the high level of threat from land use practices. The Bank site is connected to the Conasauga River and experiences regular flood events; however, it has been used for row crops for decades, contributing nutrient and sediment pollution to the river. Restoration and protection of the Bank site will provide water quality benefits by eliminating agricultural land uses and restoring wetlands to provide enhanced filtration of flood waters. Restoration of wetland vegetation and hydrology at Conasauga Bend Mitigation Bank also provides habitat benefits for aquatic and terrestrial species occupying the Conasauga River corridor.