Butterfly Branch Stream Restoration & Interpretive Trail

Ardurra successfully restored 1,835 linear feet of Butterfly Branch, a 303d-listed impaired creek, transforming decades of buried infrastructure back into a natural waterway that serves as a defining community centerpiece for Spartanburg's Northside neighborhood. The innovative project solved dual challenges: providing required environmental mitigation for Downtown Memorial Airport's runway expansion while revitalizing a historically significant water source that residents once relied upon for daily needs.

The restoration daylighted 1,125 linear feet of closed drainage system and restored an additional 710 linear feet of channel, dramatically improving aquatic function and biological integrity. Strategic floodplain reconnection increased flood storage capacity, reduced downstream velocity and bank erosion, and enhanced water quality treatment for urban runoff from the surrounding neighborhood.

Ardurra navigated complex utility conflicts by incorporating cascades and pools in upstream reaches while utilizing traditional boulder and log grade control structures downstream, creating natural meander patterns and enhanced aquatic habitat. The project reconnected the stream to its historic floodplain and restored critical wetlands, providing significant downstream flood attenuation benefits.

Beyond environmental restoration, the project created lasting community value through integrated park development featuring public trails, educational signage, outdoor classrooms, and an aesthetically striking pedestrian bridge traversing the restored stream. This multi-benefit approach transformed a buried drainage system into a vibrant community asset that highlights water quality importance.