Big Darby Corridor Treatment Project
Restoring 217 acres of wetlands in central Ohio
Wetlands do a lot we don’t always see. From filtering freshwater to providing habitat, wetlands improve water quality for both people and nature.
In Central Ohio near East Liberty, cold water springs and streams form the headwaters of the Big Darby Creek. Here, at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Ohio’s Big Darby Creek Headwaters Preserve, water quality is essential, as it feeds one of the nation’s most biologically rich rivers—Big Darby Creek.
On the preserve, a project called the Big Darby Corridor Treatment Project is using funding from H2Ohio to restore 217 acres of wetlands within the watershed of Big Darby Creek.
“This area contains natural springs that feed the headwaters of Darby Creek. Water that’s flowing through these sites is flowing through basically the entirety of the Darby,” says Michelle Pressel, restoration ecologist for TNC Ohio.
Big Darby Creek is both a nationally and state recognized scenic river, which means, while it is threatened by ongoing growth in central Ohio, so far it has retained much of its natural condition and is home to significant and rare biodiversity.
“Eighty-six different fish species have been identified in the Darby, and five of those are endangered in Ohio,” says Pressel.
The H2Ohio wetlands in November 2025 at Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve. The project will finish this spring with tree plantings and seeding.
This project will clean headwaters and drainage as they filter through the wetlands, which will in turn benefit species and water quality downstream.
To keep headwaters pristine, TNC will also be supplementing the wetland project by restoring a stream, which is a tributary of the Big Darby, in the near future. This mitigation work will tap into a source of funding that is complementary to H2Ohio.
“Through this project, we will improve water quality by removing sediment and nutrients in the watershed and foster a more diverse habitat,” says Pressel.
The restoration project will be finished this spring with monitoring and maintenance ongoing.
Quote: Michelle Pressel
Through this project, we will improve water quality by removing sediment and nutrients in the watershed and foster a more diverse habitat.
Restoration in progress
The Big Darby Corridor Treatment Project is restoring 217 acres of wetlands within the watershed of Big Darby. To keep headwaters pristine, TNC will also be supplementing the wetland project by restoring a stream, which is a tributary of the Big Darby, in the near future.
Construction equipment : Construction equipment used to help restore the Big Darby wetlands. The black piping to the left is agricultural drainage tiles removed from the site. © Marlee Stollar/TNC
Big Darby H2Ohio wetlands: A smaller H2Ohio-funded Big Darby wetland at Big Darby Headwaters Preserve. © Marlee Stollar/TNC
Culvert at Big Darby Creek: A culvert at the Big Darby wetlands funded by H2Ohio. TNC in Ohio team had to plan restoration designs to ensure wetlands drained into the culverts and eventually the Darby. © Marlee Stollar/TNC
Big Darby H2Ohio wetlands: A close-up shot of the newly constructed wetlands at Big Darby Headwaters Preserve. © Marlee Stollar/TNC
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