Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Agricultural Best Management Practices Reduce Erosion and
Improve Water Quality
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Livestock activity eroded pasture areas along Tennessee's
^ ^ Austin Branch, causing siltation problems in the creek. The
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) added the 3.9-mile long
Austin Branch to the state's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters
in 2002. Local farmers implemented agricultural best management practices (BMPs) to
exclude livestock from creek areas and control erosion. Water quality improved, prompting
TDEC to remove the creek from the state's list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Austin Branch flows through Sumner County,
southwest of Portland, Tennessee, and empties
into the Red River (Figure 1). Land use is primarily
agricultural, with some large residential properties
(on five-acre lots or larger) along the stream. Poorly
managed livestock grazing operations led to erosion
of pasture areas along Austin Branch. The eroded
sediment washed into the stream and accumulated
on the substrate. The standard states that there
must be no distinctly visible solids, scum, foam, oily
slick, or the formation of slimes, bottom deposits or
sludge banks of such size or character that could be
detrimental to fish and aquatic life. The high levels
of siltation in Austin Branch prevented the water-
body from supporting its designated use of fish and
aquatic life.
In addition, TDEC conducted a biological reconnais-
sance (biorecon) survey of Austin Branch in 2001
using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
rapid bioassessment protocol III. A biorecon survey
is a tool used to evaluate stream impairment
as determined by species richness measures,
emphasizing the presence or absence of indicator
organisms without regard to relative abundance.
The biorecon survey score is used as a measure
of compliance with water quality standards for the
beneficial use of fish and aquatic life. The principal
metrics used are the total macroinvertebrate fami-
lies (or genera); the number of families (or genera)
of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (collectively
Austin Branch TN05130206024-0300
Sumner County, Tennessee
Figure 1. Austin Branch empties into Tennessee's Red River.
The triangles on the map denote where landowners
implemented BMPs.
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referred to as EPT—short for the order names
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera); and
the number of pollution-intolerant families (or gen-
era) found in a stream. Austin Branch's 2001 biore-
con survey score was poor, prompting TDEC to add
the entire 3.9-mile creek segment to Tennessee's
CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2002.
TDEC identified poorly managed livestock grazing/
pasture areas as the primary source of the creek's
siltation and consequent loss of biological integrity.
Results
Project Highlights
Local farmers installed agricultural BMPs along
Austin Branch using money from both the CWA
section 319 program and Tennessee's Agricultural
Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF). Between
2003 and 2005, landowners used CWA section 319
funds to renovate 47.6 acres of pasture and hay-
land (reseeding and otherwise improving grazing
management) and to protect two heavy-use areas
(see Figure 1 for BMP locations). Protecting heavy-
use areas involves stabilizing land areas that are
frequently used by people, animals or vehicles. For
instance, the practice is applied in streams where
cattle or farm equipment frequently cross, around
cattle watering or feeding facilities or in cattle feed-
lots or walkways. In 2003 landowners used money
from the ARCF to convert 8.1 acres of cropland to
grassland (Figure 2).
In 2004 TDEC performed a follow-up biorecon
survey of Austin Branch, which indicated that the
stream had improved since the 2001 survey. The
2004 survey documented 8 EPT families, 4 intoler-
ant families and 25 total families—yielding an over-
all habitat score of 112, which met TDEC's regional
goals. On the basis of these data, TDEC believes
that Austin Branch meets its designated uses and
removed the stream from the state's list of impaired
waters in 2008.
Partners and Funding
Watershed partners used $3,877 of CWA section
319 funding (including additional matching funds of
$1,292) and $330 from the Tennessee ARCF (includ-
ing matching funds of $110) to implement BMPs in
the Austin Branch watershed. Key partners include
the Sumner County Soil Conservation District (for
helping to design and implement BMPs) and land-
owners (for contributing the majority of the in-kind
match for BMPs).
Figure 2. Example of cropland
conversion in a Tennessee field.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001N
July 2009
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306 • Sam.Marshall@state.tn.us
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