Surface Water Quality Screening Assessment of the Tennessee River Basin- 2003 Part I: Wadeable Rivers and Streams REPORT DATE: AUGUST 31, 2005 AQUATIC ASSESSMENT UNIT -- FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT Surface Water Quality Screening Assessment of the Tennessee River Basin- 2003 Part I: Wadeable Rivers and Streams REPORT DATE: AUGUST 31, 2005 AQUATIC ASSESSMENT UNIT -- FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED OR PARTIALLY FUNDED BY THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT USING A CLEAN WATER ACT §319(H) NONPOINT SOURCE DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROVIDED BY THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY - REGION 4. ADDRESS COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO : AQUATIC ASSESSMENT UNIT – ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS SECTION FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION – MONTGOMERY BRANCH ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT P.O. 301463 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36130-1463 2 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................4 LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................4 LIST OF APPENDICES......................................................................................................5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................7 SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................................9 METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................................13 STUDY AREA .....................................................................................................................13 Ecoregions ....................................................................................................................13 REVIEW OF AVAILABLE DATA ...........................................................................................19 NPS IMPAIRMENT POTENTIAL AND SUB-WATERSHED RANKING .......................................20 SITE SELECTION.................................................................................................................43 HABITAT ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................44 AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSESSMENT:................................................................44 CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT....................................................................................................49 CHAIN OF CUSTODY...........................................................................................................49 FINAL ASSESSMENT AND RANKING OF SUB-WATERSHEDS.................................................49 2003 TENNESSEE BASIN ASSESSMENT RESULTS .................................................55 ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES OF PRIORITY SUB-WATERSHEDS........................59 GUNTERSVILLE LAKE CU (0603-0001)..........................................................................61 WHEELER LAKE CU (0603-0002)..................................................................................75 Lower Elk River CU (0603-0004) ................................................................................85 Pickwick Lake CU (0603-0005) ...................................................................................95 Bear Creek CU (0603-0006).......................................................................................109 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................118 3 List of Tables & Figures LIST OF TABLES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TABLES 1. Sub-watersheds recommended for priority NPS status 12 METHODS TABLES 2. List of sub-watersheds located within each minor basin within the Tennessee 14 River Basin 3. Current animal unit conversion factors from ADEM Administrative Code 20 Chapter 335-6-7 4. Range of values used to define potential for impairment from rural sources 21 5. Range of values used to define potential for impairment from urban sources 43 6. Chemical/physical parameters analyzed by ADEM Central Laboratory 53 7. Estimates of % land cover within the TN basin 55 8. # of sub-watersheds with “moderate” or “high” ratings per NPS category 56 9. # of sub-watersheds with “moderate” or “high” ratings per point source 56 10. Types of assessments & assessment guidelines that have generated monitored 58 assessment information. LIST OF FIGURES 1 Cataloging units and sub-watersheds of the TN Basin 15 2 Level IV Ecoregions of the TN Basin Group 17 3 CWA §303(d) list of impaired waterbodies in the TN basin. 23 4 Estimated potential for impairment from rural NPSs 25 5 Estimated potential for impairment from forestry 27 6 Estimated potential for impairment from sedimentation 29 7 Estimated potential for impairment from animal husbandry 31 8 Estimated potential for impairment from pasture grazing 33 9 Estimated potential for impairment from crop runoff 35 10 Estimated potential for impairment from mining 37 11 Estimated potential for impairment from aquaculture 39 12 Estimated potential for impairment from urban sources 41 13 Sampling locations within the TN Basin Group, 1999-2003 47 14 2003 NPS priority sub-watersheds and §303(d)-listed stream and reservoir 51 segments 15 2003 NPS priority sub-watersheds and §303(d)-listed stream segments located 63 within the Guntersville Lake CU 16 2003 NPS priority sub-watersheds and §303(d)-listed stream and reservoir 77 segments located within the Wheeler Lake CU 17 2003 NPS priority sub-watersheds and §303(d)-listed stream segments located 87 within the Lower Elk River CU 18 2003 NPS priority sub-watersheds and §303(d)-listed stream segments located 97 within the Pickwick Lake CU 19 2002 NPS priority sub-watersheds and §303(d)-listed stream segments located 111 within the Bear Creek CU 4 List of Appendices LIST OF APPENDICES A. Land Use Percentages A-1a. Middle Tennessee-Chicamauga (0602-0001) & Guntersville Lake (0603-0001) CU A-1b. Wheeler Lake (0603-0002) CU A-1c. Lower Elk River (0603-0004) CU A-1d. Pickwick Lake (0603-0005) CU A-1e. Bear Creek (0603-0006) CU A-2. EROS Land Cover Data Set B. NPDES permits & construction/stormwater authorizations C. Alabama’s 2002 CWA §303(d) list in the TN Basin. C-1. Waterbodies on Alabama’s 2002 CWA §303(d) list C-2. Waterbodies on Alabama’s 2002 CWA §303(d) list approved for TMDL. D. NPS impairment potential estimated for each sub-watershed E. Location descriptions for data collected within the TN Basin F. List of Alabama NPS assessment stations F-1. NPS screening assessment stations F-2. NPS intensive assessment stations G. Summary of biological assessment results G-1. Summary of habitat, and aquatic macroinvertebrate assessment results H. SWCD estimates of animal units, % aquaculture, and % acre herbicide/ pesticide applications H-1. Middle Tennessee-Chicamauga (0602-0001) & Guntersville Lake (0603-0001) CU H-2. Wheeler Lake (0603-0002) CU H-3. Lower Elk River (0603-0004) CU H-4. Pickwick Lake (0603-0005) CU H-5. Bear Creek (0603-0006) CU I. Sedimentation rate estimates for each sub-watershed I-1. Middle Tennessee-Chicamauga (0602-0001) & Guntersville Lake (0603-0001) CU I-2. Wheeler Lake (0603-0002) CU I-3. Lower Elk River (0603-0004) CU I-4. Pickwick Lake (0603-0005) CU I-5. Bear Creek (0603-0006) CU J. Habitat assessment results: NPS assessment stations K. Bioassessment results: NPS assessment stations L. Field data sheets: L-1. Riffle-run habitat assessment L-2. Glide pool habitat assessment L-3. Physical characterization/water quality data sheet M. Physical/chemical data collected during the BWC NPS screening assessment N. Metals data collected during the BWC NPS screening assessment O. Description of ADEM’s Ecoregional Reference Reach Program 5 List of Appendices List of Appendices O-1. Physical characterization and habitat assessment results, 1999-2003 O-2. Bioassessment results, 1999-2003 O-3. Physical/chemical data, 1999-2003 O-4. Metals data, 1999-2003 P. Description of ADEM’s CWA §303(d) Monitoring Program P-1. Physical characterization and habitat assessment results, 1999-2003 P-2. Bioassessment results, 1999-2003 P-3. Physical/chemical data, 1999-2003 P-4. Metals data, 1999-2003 Q. Description of ADEM’s 2002 Periphyton Bioassessment Pilot Project R. Description of University Tributary Monitoring Project, 1999 R-1. Physical/chemical data S. Description of ADEM’s ALAMAP Program, 1999-2003 S-1. Physical characterization and habitat assessment results S-2. Physical/chemical data T. Paint Rock River Watershed Project T-1. Habitat and biological assessment results T-2. Physical/chemical data U. TN basin stations collected by USGS, 1999-2003 U-1. Station Locations U-2. Physical/chemical data 6 List of Abbreviations LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviation Interpretation § Section A&I Agricultural and Industrial Water Use Classification AAU Aquatic Assessment Unit of ADEM's Field Operations Division ADEM Alabama Department of Environmental Management ALAMAP Alabama Monitoring and Assessment Program AU Animal Unit as defined by ADEM CAFO Rules AWPCA Alabama Water Pollution Control Act BMP Best Management Practices Br Branch CAFO Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation cfs Cubic Feet per Second Chem. Chemical/Physical Water Quality Co. County Confl. Confluence Cr Creek CR County Road CU Cataloging Unit CWA Clean Water Act