Gum Spring Creek Restoration
At Reflection Riding, conservation and restoration are at the heart of everything we do. As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, we’re undertaking a significant streambank restoration project on Gum Spring Creek. This stream, met with years of stormwater rushes and degradation, became susceptible to erosion and sediment runoff. To secure our natural landscape and pathways, we adopted a project to restore the stream’s health and vitality. This critical work remains part of a broader effort to ensure that our natural spaces are preserved for future generations while also providing healthier habitats for native wildlife.
Gum Spring Creek in Action, February 2025
The restoration work on Gum Spring Creek involves stabilizing the streambank to prevent further erosion, improving water quality, and enhancing the overall habitat along the creek. This project has been carefully planned and approved under an Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit (ARAP), ensuring that our methods meet all environmental standards. Additionally, the Tennessee Historical Commission has reviewed and approved our plans, recognizing the importance of preserving both the natural and historical integrity of this area. The overall process includes repairing the stream beds with rocks to divert water from further erosion, in addition to establishing native plants along the stream bed.
The health of Gum Spring Creek is vital not only to our property but also to the greater watershed. By addressing erosion and restoring native vegetation, we’re reducing sediment runoff, enhancing plant biodiversity, and improving the overall resilience of this waterway. This is a long-term investment that will allow us to better serve both our natural and human communities. By taking these proactive steps now, we’re ensuring that the natural beauty and ecological health of our space continue to grow and thrive.
What’s Happening at Gum Spring Creek?
In early October 2024, we began the restoration process. A small excavator benched the highly eroded streambank, and cross vanes were constructed from local rock to slow water down and dissipate energy from storm events that could cause further erosion. Our stewards planted and cared for native grasses along the stream’s edge to fortify the creek.
In the months that followed, students from school groups visited the site and threw river stones into the creek as they witnessed hydrological systems first-hand. Over time, these stones will settle and facilitate habitat for aquatic life. Mark Ray from RayEA, LLC. met with Wauhatchie Forest School and shared the cyclical nature of water. As it flows from Lookout Mountain, the moving water will one day reach the ocean, evaporate, and return to land as rain.
In the winter of 2025, Chattanooga experienced heavy rainfall in tune with the seasonal patterns of the region. As the creek carries water from Lookout Mountain to the Lookout Creek watershed, strong surges can last for several days. In February, we witnessed Gum Spring Creek in action! Cross vanes diverted water into central pools called “scour holes” rather than further eroding the bank, and river stones made their way along the creekbed. The water’s flow proved the early success of the project, and we can’t wait for the future of Gum Spring Creek as it blends into the natural landscape!
We invite you to stay connected with us about how this work is helping to shape a healthier, more resilient landscape at Reflection Riding. Thank you for your continued support and for being part of our journey in caring for this beautiful land. We can’t wait to show you the positive impact this restoration will have on Gum Spring Creek and the larger Lookout Creek watershed!
