In 2011 the remnants of hurricane Irene caused extreme flooding in the Catskill region of New York. This flooding deposited 30 tons of gravel in a sharp bend of the Oquaga creek, in turn this gravel deposit redirected the course of water making the adjacent 25 acres of agricultural land to be inaccessable and ruined, leaving the original creek bed virtually void of all aquatic life. Working in conjunction with the adjacent land owners and the United States Fish & Wildlife service a restoration plan was drafted and then implemented in the fall of 2012

  During the restoration of 1800 feet of the Oquaga Creek located in Sanford NY, 85 tons of blue stone was used to create a solid rock vane in order to redirect the  creek back to its original course. In the process over 640 cubic yards of creek gravel were moved to reconfigure the creek to a more stable hydraulic flow. This process still allows the creek to maintain its flood plain in a severe weather event but through the use of J hooks and log vanes the velocity of the water is sustained to move the debris through the creek bed. These structures will still maintain and enhance the habit for aquatic life and native brook trout.