Matthews Creek Restoration

Matthews Creek is an important resource of the State.  It begins with a humble trickle at The Crown of the Mountain Bridge where it was impounded by an earthen dam, creating a small fishing pond. It then flows southward through parks and preserves like a timeline of conservation success stories that have defined Upstate South Carolina as a destination for premier wilderness and outdoor recreation.

As Matthews Creek leaves its headwaters it flows into the Watson Cooper Heritage Trust Preserve. Following the contours of the mountains it meanders over three miles gaining momentum and water from other tributaries until reaching Caesars Head State Park. Trout, chubs, salamanders, and myriad invertebrates thrive in the riffles and deep pools. Within the Park, it gushes over boulders and through stands of hardwoods before tumbling over a steep granite face, Raven Cliff Falls. Just past Raven Cliff Falls, Matthews Creek enters Asbury Hills Methodist Camp, now permanently protected by a conservation easement. From there, the creek finds the foothills and runs through a few private properties until converging with the South Saluda River, just upstream from where we have worked for the last ten years to restore and protect a publicly accessible trout stream. The only thing keeping Matthews Creek from running wild and free, was the small earthen dam at its headwaters.

Albeit small, the pond posed a significant risk to the years of work that SCDNR had done to restore native brook trout populations in the waterways below. Should the dam breach, or the bass and bream get into the stream below, the brook trout would not survive. Recognizing the critical importance of this stream and its surrounding lands and wildlife, Naturaland Trust purchased the 62-acre property. After several years of planning and applying for permits, we were finally given approval by the Army Corps of Engineers and Greenville County to remove the dam, restore the absolute headwaters of Matthews Creek, and protect the Southern Appalachian Brook Trout habitat. Following the trout spawning season lasting from fall through spring, Naturaland Trust and the Mountain Bridge chapter of Trout Unlimited successfully removed the dam in July 2019 with the generous help and expertise from Dan Rankin with SCDNR and US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Tripp Bolton and Hal Jones. This project was a true team effort, receiving over $80,000 in cash and in-kind contributions by private individuals, Trout Unlimited and USFWS along with over 1,000 man-hours by volunteers.

Protecting and restoring this site represents the culmination of decades of work by Tommy Wyche and Naturaland Trust. Wyche envisioned a swath of protected lands spanning the Table Rock Reservoir heading eastward towards the Poinsett Reservoir. This vision was not only to offer a public space to appreciate the unique landscape of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains that would inspire art, wellness, and community pride, but also protect the ecology of the region. This project accomplished all of those goals. We are honored to carry on his tireless efforts and mission, continuing to protect the ecological and recreational gems that define South Carolina’s natural heritage.

We would like to say thank you to the many volunteers who helped with this project. Additionally, we’d like to thank the donors and agencies who helped us see this through: USFWS Aquatic Habitat Restoration Team, SCDNR, Mountain Bridge Trout Unlimited Chapter, Greenville Water, Trout and Salmon Foundation, American Rivers, Darrohn Engineering, Wetlands and Environmental Planning Group, and Jennings Environmental.