Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Streambank Restoration and Cattle Exclusion Reduce Siltation and
Improve Water Quality
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd Agricultural practices and land development in the Arrington
Creek watershed were contributing to silt runoff that was
degrading the water quality of the creek. The waterbody was listed as impaired on
Tennessee's 2002 303(d) list due to siltation from agriculture and land development. Best
management practices (BMPs) implemented in the watershed successfully improved the
water quality of Arrington Creek and allowed for its removal from the impaired list in 2004.
Problem
Arrington Creek is located in Williamson
County in central Tennessee. It is in the
Harpeth River watershed, Ecoregion 71i. A
24.6-mile segment of Arrington Creek was
listed as impaired on the state's 2002 303(d)
list for siltation. Arrington Creek was only
partially supporting criteria for its designated
use classification (fish and aquatic life). The
state identified agricultural practices and land
development as the primary sources of silt
entering the waterbody. A siltation and habitat
alteration total maximum daily load (TMDL)
was previously developed for this watershed
and approved by EPA in 2002.
helped reduce the amount of silt and runoff
entering the waterway.
Results
Project Highlights
Eight BMPs were implemented along Paige
Branch, a tributary to Arrington Creek,
between 1999 and 2003. The installment of
exclusion fencing and an alternative water-
ing facility prevented livestock from entering
the stream, thereby reducing the trampling
of streambanks. Other BMPs implemented
include pasture and hay planting along criti-
cal areas, reinforcement of heavy use areas,
Streambank protection, and planting riparian
buffers (Figure 1). These management practices
The BMPs implemented along Paige Branch,
a tributary to Arrington Creek, have helped
reduce the level of siltation entering the
waterbody and allowed it to meet its desig-
nated water quality standards such that there
were no distinctly visible solids, scum, foam,
oily slick, or the formation of slimes, bottom
deposits or sludge banks. In addition the
Branch was found to be no longer detrimental
to fish and aquatic life. This stream was reas-
sessed in 2002 by the Tennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).
Using EPA's rapid bioassessment protocol III
(RBPIII), state biologists calculated a biological
reconnaissance (biorecon) score for Arrington
Creek, which is used to measure a compliance
with the state water quality standard for silt-
ation. Biorecon is one tool used to recognize
stream impairment as judged by species rich-
ness measures, emphasizing the presence or
absence of indicator organisms without regard
to relative abundance. The biorecon index is
scored on a scale from 1-15. A score less than
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5 is regarded as very poor. A score over 10 is
considered good. The principal metrics used
are the total macroinvertebrate families (or
genera), the number of families (or genera) of
mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT), and
the number of pollution intolerant families (or
genera) found in a stream. The biorecon results
for Arrington Creek indicated 10 EPT families,
7 intolerant, and 25 total families. The stream
received a score of 15 out of 15, indicating that
it is now fully supporting fish and aquatic life.
The stream got a habitat score of 115, which is
similar to the established habitat goal for this
region. The stream has improved since last
assessed and therefore Arrington Creek was
removed from Tennessee's list of impaired
waters in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The Williamson County Soil Conservation
District and the Harpeth River Watershed
Association helped implement the BMPs with
$12,500 of section 319 direct and matched
funding. An additional $55,627.81 was contrib-
uted by the Tennessee Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund and matching funds.
Arrington Creek, Williamson County in the Harpeth River
Watershed, 05130204
Williamson County
2004 fish & aquatichfe
Stream attainment
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
Dry
BMPs Installed 1999-2003
Harpeth River Watershed, 051302040104
Arrington Creek
Arrington Ck was
impaired for all 24.6
miles. Paige Branch is
not included in the
listing.
Rutherford County
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, August 2006
Figure 1. BMPs implemented in the Harpeth River watershed.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001Q
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II @state.tn. us
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