Broke Leg Falls

Beginning in early 2025, MTM Enterprises embarked on one of our most expansive environmental initiatives to date: the restoration of the Broke Leg Creek and Blackwater Creek systems. This multi-year project spans a staggering 45,435 linear feet of stream systems and tributaries. Our mission is to utilize Natural Channel Design (NCD) techniques to reverse decades of erosion and instability, restoring the natural function of these waterways while revitalizing the aquatic and riparian habitats that depend on them.

Precision Engineering with 3D GPS Technology

Restoring a stream to its natural state requires more than just moving dirt; it requires surgical precision to ensure water flows exactly as nature intended. To meet these exacting standards, MTM Enterprises upgraded our fleet in late 2025 by installing advanced 3D GPS systems on our excavators.

• Real-Time Topography: These systems allow our operators to see a digital, three-dimensional blueprint of the design while they work, ensuring that every bank, pool, and riffle is graded to within centimeters of the plan.

• Efficiency & Accuracy: This technology minimizes the need for manual surveying and rework, allowing us to hit critical elevations for the 6,665 linear feet of newly established channel with unmatched accuracy.

The "Tributary Surge" Strategy

With a project of this magnitude, traditional linear workflows can be slow. To accelerate progress without sacrificing quality, MTM Enterprises implemented a "Tributary Surge" approach. This strategy divides our forces into two specialized units to maximize productivity:

1. Mechanized Main Channel Reconstruction: Our heavy equipment teams focus on the primary reconstruction of the Broke Leg and Blackwater main channels, handling the large-scale earthmoving and rehabilitation of nearly 10,000 linear feet of existing stream.

2. The Surge Crew: Simultaneously, we have deployed expanded crews across multiple tributaries. These teams focus on the high-detail "hand-work," installing hundreds of in-stream structures designed to direct flow, prevent erosion, and create habitat for local wildlife.

3. The Result: This dual-front approach allows us to make massive gains across the 45,435-foot project area while ensuring the smaller tributaries are stabilized in tandem with the main waterways.

By the Numbers: Restoring an Ecosystem

The scope of this project is a testament to MTM Enterprises' capacity to manage large-scale environmental contracts. Our work at Broke Leg Falls includes:

• Channel Rehabilitation: Totaling over 30,000 linear feet of re-establishment, rehabilitation, and enhancement.

• Preservation: Securing 11,213 linear feet of existing high-quality stream to ensure long-term stability.

• In-Stream Structures: Installation of hundreds of log and rock structures to control water energy and provide aquatic cover.

• Living Buffers: The installation of 31,900 live stakes across the project area to establish deep-rooted riparian buffers that will naturally armor the banks for decades to come.

Resilience and Commitment

Scheduled for a 2.5-year duration, the Broke Leg Falls project is an ongoing demonstration of MTM Enterprises' commitment to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources. By combining heavy-duty construction capabilities with delicate environmental stewardship and cutting-edge 3D technology, we are not just fixing a stream—we are rebuilding an ecosystem that will thrive for generations.