Big Fork National River and Recreation Area
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\\jkv \&wuxrC£ Urrm^ NATIONAL RIVER AND RECRE£nON AREA Water Resources Management Plan September 1997 Water Resources Management Plan Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation http://archive.org/details/waterresourcesmaOOhami Water Resources Management Plan Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Prepared by: Barbara Smyth Hamilton Environmental Specialist Leslie Turrini-Smith Geologist Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Water Pollution Control Watershed Management Section Nashville, TN Approved by: YfjuPjfo-J' /f ^/L^u^ Date: 6~7-?7 Superintendent, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area Water Resource Management Plan May 10, 1997 PREFACE This Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) is a 5-to-10 year planning document for the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, hereafter referred to as the Recreation Area. This WRMP addresses water quality and quantity issues and their monitoring and management. Biological resources management (e.g. reintroduction of species) and habitat management (e.g. riverine improvements to support fisheries) are not covered in this plan. The plan evaluates existing conditions of water resources, identifies water resources issues, and guides future management decisions regarding Recreation Area water resources. The purpose of the WRMP is to assist Recreation Area managers in making decisions and establishing priorities for the protection, use, conservation, and management of Recreation Area waters and water-related resources (National Park Service, 1991a). Water resources management for the Recreation Area is identified as the highest priority in both the Strategic Plan (National Park Service, 1990a) and the Resource Management Plan (National Park Service, 1990b). This WRMP is a component of the National Park Services comprehensive planning process as described in Management Policies (National Park Service, 1988), Planning Process Guideline (National Park Service, 1986), and Natural Resources Management Guideline (National Park Service, 1991b). These policies require that each National Park Service unit develop and implement a General Management Plan to provide the overall basis for manageing the unit's resources, uses, and facilities. In addition to the General Management Plan, each unit may develop appropriate 'action" plans to address specific resource needs. This Water Resources Management Plan is such a plan. The Recreation Area is in the process of writing a General Management Plan and updating the Resources Management Plan; descriptions in this WRMP will support both these plans. This is the first Water Resources Management Plan written for the Recreation Area Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area Water Resource Management Plan May 10, 1997 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A Technical Advisory Team (see Appendix F) convened at the beginning of this planning process and helped identify water resources issues facing the Recreation Area. The following individuals provided data and information for inclusion in this plan: Kentucky Division of Forestry: Ken Thompson Kentucky Division of Mines: Shane Casebow Kentucky Division of Water: Terry Anderson, John Brumely, Roger Conn, Sarah Evans, Bunny Fint, Joan Garrison, Morgan Jones, Lajaunda Maybriar, Larry Souter, Tom VanArsdall, Judy Ziegler Kentucky Geologic Survey: Bart Davidson National Park Service: Steve Bakaletz, Brenda Coleman, Robert Emmott, Larry Heath, Jeanne Richardson, Steve Seven, Etta Spradlin Natural Resources Conservation Service: Carol Chandler, Mike Glidewell Stearns Museum: Anna Mary Creekmore, Dawn Strunk, Warren Meadows Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation: Tyler Alley, Fran Baker, Lee Barron, Jonathan Burr, Greg Denton, David Duhl, Tim Eagle, David Greif, Deborah Hamilton, Evelyn Haskins, Bill Hench, Mike Hoyal, Kathy Larrieu, Kirk Pickering, Dave Turner, John West Tennessee Department of Health: Debbie Arnwine Tennessee Division of Forestry: Hart Applegate, Ken Arney, David Arnold, Rick Merinar, Bob Rochelle, Bob Wright Tennessee Division of Geology: Albert Horton Tennessee State Parks: Roy Jensen US Corps of Engineer: Don Getty US Geological Survey: Bradley Bryan, Dave Byrd, Harry Rollins US Forest Service: Jon Walker University of Tennessee: Steve Nodvin Some legislation descriptions were taken from the Colonial National Historic Park Water Resources Management Plan and the Big Cypress National Preserve Water Resources Management Plan. The Big Cypress National Preserve Water Resources Management Plan was used for format ideas; some text from the Water Resources Issues and Water Resources Management sections were taken from this plan. The following individuals reviewed drafts of this plan and made valuable suggestions: National Park Service: Steve Bakaletz, Don Forester, Jim Wiggins, Dave Sharrow, Dan McGlothlin Vanderbilt University: Doug Smith, Dr. Richard Steams Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control: Greg Denton, Garland Wiggins, US Geological Survey: Bradley Bryan 1 Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area Water Resource Management Plan May 10, 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preface i Acknowledgments ii List of Figures v List of Tables vi INTRODUCTION 1 Recreation Area Significance 2 Need For A Water Resources Management Plan 2 THE HYDROLOGIC ENVIRONMENT 3 Physiographic Region 3 Ecoregions 3 Geology 4 General Geology of the Cumberland Plateau 4 Geology of the Recreation Area 4 Coal Deposits in the Recreation Area 8 Coal Mining History 9 Oil and Gas in the Recreation Area 1 Soils 11 General Soils Description 1 County Soil Surveys 12 Climate 12 Flora 14 Fauna 14 Rare and Endangered Flora and Fauna 15 Surface Water Resources 15 Watersheds 17 State Stream Classifications 17 Surface Water Quality 20 Acid Mine Drainage 22 Sediment 22 State Water Quality Assessments 23 Flow Characteristics 24 Surface Water Withdrawal 28 Floodplains 29 Wetlands 30 Groundwater Resources 31 in Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area Water Resource Management Plan May 10, 1997 Groundwater Withdrawal 31 WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ..33 Legislative and Regulatory Relationships 33 Specific Federal Legislation 33 General Federal Legislation 35 State Legislation 39 National Park Service Management Policies and Guidelines 40 Land Use Considerations 41 Land Use Within the Recreation Area Boundaries 41 External Land Use 44 WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 49 WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ISSUES 51 Programmatic Issues 51 Specific Issues 57 WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 63 Overview of Existing and Historic Programs 63 Need for an Expanded Program 63 Inventory and Monitoring 64 Data Management 64 Mitigation and Protection 65 Water Resources Staff 66 REFERENCES 68 PROJECT STATEMENTS 78 APPENDICES A. County Soil Survey Data B. Aquatic Species of the Big South Fork River Watershed C. Acid Mine Drainage Process D. Recreation Area Facilities Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Systems E. National Park Service Water Resource Management Objectives F. Multi-Agency Technical Advisory Team G. Additional USGS Gage Station Data IV Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area Water Resource Management Plan May 10, 1997 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Location of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area 1 2. Generalized Stratigraphic Column for the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Region 5 3. Average Monthly Precipitation Record for Fentress and Pickett Counties . 13 4. Big South Fork River Watershed and Subwatersheds 16 5. Mean Monthly Discharge for the Big South Fork River at Stearns, KY 25 6. Representative Mean Annual Hydrograph for Seasonal Analysis 28 7. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Resources Management Organization and Staff 67 Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area Water Resource Management Plan May 10, 1997 LIST OF TABLES 1. Major Coal Mines Near Stearns, Kentucky 10 2. Description of General Soil Groups within the Recreation Area Watershed 12 3. Recreation Area Subwatersheds 16 4. Stream Use Classifications for the Tennessee Portion of the Recreation Area Watershed 17 5. Stream Use Classifications for the Kentucky Portion of the Recreation Area Watershed 19 6. Nondegradation Policy Categories for the Kentucky Portion of the Recreation Area Watershed 20 7. Natural Water Quality Parameters for Sandstone and Limestone Streams in the Recreation Area 21 8. Unimpacted Sandstone and Limestone Streams in the Recreation Area 21 9. Correlation of Stream Support Designations Between Tennessee and Kentucky 23 10. Streams in the Recreation Area Watershed That Do Not Meet State Designated Uses 24 11. Flood Frequency Analyses of Streams in the Recreation Area Watershed.. 26 12. Low Flow Analyses of Streams in the Recreation Area Watershed 27 13. Surface Water Withdrawal in the Recreation Area Watershed 29 14. Estimated Wetland Acreage South Fork Cumberland River Basin in Kentucky 30 15. Public Water Supply Wells in the Recreation Area Counties 32 16. Private Water Supply Wells in the Recreation Area Counties 32 17. State Roads in the Recreation Area 41 18. Flood Frequency of Lake Cumberland Pool Elevations 44 19. Timberland in the Recreation Area Watershed Counties 45 20. Producing Oil and Gas Wells in the Recreation Area Watershed 46 21. Industrial NPDES Permits