RIBITS (Regulatory In-lieu Fee Bank Information Tracking System)

To determine credits available in your service area, follow this link to the RIBITS website: RIBITS - Find Credits

(NOTE: Enter the project lat/long and press search.)

Stream Mitigation

Background

In recent years, new information has come to light concerning the immediate, secondary, long-term, and cumulative adverse impacts associated with stream channelizations within our Regulatory District. In response, we have adapted a more rigorous review of stream channelization applications. 

Channelizations tend to (among other things) increase sediment loads and turbidity, as well as downstream bed and bank erosion, sedimentation, and flooding; cause upstream down cutting, lower groundwater tables, reduce or adversely impact fish and wildlife habitat, drain wetlands, and warm water. Channel straightening projects also can threaten bridges (and other infrastructure) upstream and downstream due to the potential for downstream erosion and upstream down cutting as the channel works to re-establish its previous slope. Projects can significantly reduce the existing channel length, while greatly increasing the channel slope, maximizing the adverse effects described above.

Alternatives which are less damaging to the aquatic resource should be considered in place of channelization. Those alternatives may include armoring the affected stream banks within the project area with quarry rock or broken concrete riprap to abate further channel movement, the excavation of accumulated sediments from the existing channel (without altering the existing alignment), cutting back channel banks to establish more stable side-slopes, and the establishment of vegetative buffers along the creek.

Any person, business, or agency proposing to impact existing streams must first make every attempt to avoid and minimize the impact. For the impacts that are unavoidable, the replacement of any loss is required through compensatory stream mitigation overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In general, foot-for-foot stream length replacement will be required as mitigation for stream impacts. The below stream mitigation methods and calculators are tools that can be used to determine necessary stream mitigation. The Corps will coordinate with applicants to make a final determination as to the amount of stream mitigation necessary.  

What Is Compensatory Stream Mitigation?

Unavoidable impacts to streams are compensated for by the restoration and protection of another stream – referred to as a stream mitigation bank. This is part of a set of standards implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Corps of Engineers to promote "no net loss" of aquatic resources.

What Is a Stream Mitigation Bank?

A stream mitigation bank is a stream site that has been restored and protected by formal agreement between the Corps of Engineers and the stream mitigation bank sponsor. This agreement includes construction and monitoring standards to ensure quality and performance of the stream mitigation bank site. A stream mitigation bank sponsor may be a government agency, non-profit organization, or corporation. The Corps, in cooperation with other Federal, state, or local agencies, determines the amount of environmental credits a stream mitigation bank can provide. Mitigation credits are then used to offset environmental impacts from projects permitted by the Corps under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

The Stream Mitigation Process

Any entity proposing a project that impacts an existing stream must be permitted to do so by the Corps of Engineers based on regulations put into place under of the Clean Water Act, which may require compensatory stream mitigation. One method to satisfy this requirement is to purchase environmental credits produced by a stream mitigation bank. The Corps determines the amount of credits an applicant must obtain, which is stated in the conditions of the permit. Other methods to satisfy this requirement are in-lieu fee mitigation or permittee-responsible mitigation. These methods may be used when mitigation banks are not available.

Iowa Mitigation Banks within Service Areas

  • Click "+" next to Service Area to expand column.
  • For real time data, go to: RIBITS Home Page
    (Key: E - Emergent, F - Forested, S - Stream, * - Banks in multiple service areas)
Expand List item 33661Collapse List item 33661  Upper Missouri Service Area
  • Owego (E)
  • Silver Lake (E) (Pending)
Expand List item 33662Collapse List item 33662  Lower Missouri Service Area
  • Coulthard Trust (F)
  • Middle Silver Creek (S)
  • Mosquito Creek (S)
  • Pony Creek (E & F)
  • Platte River (S & E) (Pending)
Expand List item 33663Collapse List item 33663  Upper Des Moines Service Area
  • Des Moines River (S)*
  • McCorkle Wetland (F)
  • McCorkle Stream (S)
  • Voas (E)*
  • White Fox (E, F & S)
  • Blair Wetland (E)
  • Lambert's Landing (E, F & S)
  • Raccoon Valley (E & F)
  • Little Walnut Creek (E & S) (Pending)
  • White Fox - Phase 2 (E & S) (Pending)
  • Rutherford Acres (S) (Pending)
Expand List item 33664Collapse List item 33664  Lower Des Moines Service Area
  • Bunker Stream (S)
  • C&W Hunter (E & F)
  • Des Moines River (S)*
  • Trails End Phase I (E & F)
  • Trails End Phase II (S) (Pending)
  • Voas (E)*
  • County Line (E, F & S)
  • Whistle Stop (S)
Expand List item 33665Collapse List item 33665  Iowa Service Area
  • Dowd Creek (S)
  • Elk Creek (E & F)
  • Lakota (E & F)
  • Pabst (S & E)
  • Cedar River Crossing (E & F)*
  • INHF (E) (Pending)
Expand List item 33667Collapse List item 33667  Driftless Service Area
  • Elk Hollow (E, F & S)
  • New Melleray Abbey (S) (Pending)
Expand List item 33668Collapse List item 33668  Cedar Service Area
  • Black Hawk (E, F & S)
  • Cedar River Crossing (E & F)*
  • Dry Run Creek (S & E)
  • Heineman (E)
  • Mitchell County (E)
  • Niebuhr (S)
  • Smoketown (E, F & S)
  • Beaver Creek (S) (Pending)
  • Castor Falls (S & E) (Pending)
Expand List item 33669Collapse List item 33669  Mississippi Service Area
  • Byler Stream (S)
  • Clear Creek (S)
  • Nahant Marsh Phase 1 (E & F)
  • Nahant Marsh Phase II (S)
  • Cedar River Crossing (E & F)*
  • River Products (E & F)*
  • Barber Creek (E & F) (Pending)
  • Honey Creek (S) (Pending)
Expand List item 33670Collapse List item 33670  Banks with Original Service Areas (check RIBITS for coverage)
  • Cedar River Crossing (E & F) (Parts of Cedar, Iowa and Mississippi Service Areas)
  • Des Moines River (S) (Parts of Upper Des Moines and Lower Des Moines)
  • Voas (E) (Parts of Upper Des Moines and Lower Des Moines)

Illinois Mitigation Banks within Service Areas

  • Click "+" next to Service Area to expand column.
  • For real time data, go to: RIBITS Home Page
    (Key: E - Emergent, F - Forested, S - Stream, * - Banks in multiple service areas)
Expand List item 33804Collapse List item 33804  Northern Service Area
  • Afton South Prairie (E)*
  • Bronzeback (E & S)
  • Northern IL (E & F)
  • Skare Park (S)
  • Zuma Woods (E & F)
  • Pecatonica (S)
  • IL DOT Lagrange (E & F)
Expand List item 33805Collapse List item 33805  Southern Service Area
  • Sangamon (E, F & S)
Expand List item 33803Collapse List item 33803  Eastern Service Area
  • No banks available
Expand List item 33806Collapse List item 33806  Western Service Area
  • No banks available
Expand List item 33802Collapse List item 33802  Central Service Area
  • Afton South Prairie (E)*
  • Brush Creek (S) (Pending)
Expand List item 37337Collapse List item 37337  Banks with Original Service Areas (check RIBITS for coverage)
  • Afton South Prairie (E) (Parts of Northern and Central)

Iowa and Illinois Service Areas