A Phased Approach to Urban Stream Restoration Decision-Making in Utoy Creek, Atlanta, Georgia

Urban watersheds undergo significant ecological change due to increased imperviousness, flashy hydrologic processes, channel evolution, the loss of riparian zones, and the fragmentation of movement corridors. Watershed restoration seeks to address these challenges simultaneously through site-scale actions coordinated at the basin scale. Ecological benefits, social outcomes, and monetary costs represent common metrics to inform decision-making on these programs. However, decision-making at the site and watershed scale may differ, and the accuracy and resolution of benefit and cost data should vary as project needs dictate. This paper presents a case study of urban stream restoration in Utoy Creek, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where multiple partner organizations are planning a portfolio of stream restoration projects. Analyses were conducted to assess ecological benefits, social outcomes, and monetary costs at the watershed scale to inform site selection, at the site scale to guide restoration design, and then again at the watershed scale to identify an effective portfolio of sites. These scales each presented unique technical challenges and required the adaptation of analytical methods to suit decision-making needs. This case study is not presented as a comprehensive approach applicable in all urban systems, but instead a template for urban restoration practitioners to adapt to their unique watershed and planning contexts.