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Ecological Restoration of Degraded Landscapes Improves Water
Quality in Cane Creek

, i i ,	I Cane Creek, a tributary of the Chestatee River in Lumpkin County,

Waterbody improved ^ . . , , :" .,	, J;

Georgia, was included on Georgia s 2008 Integrated Clean Water
Act (CWA) sections 305(b)/303(d) List of Waters as "Not Supporting" the designated use of fishing
due to Bio F (fish) impacted by sediment. The Chestatee Watershed Partnership used a 2015 CWA
section 319(h) nonpoint source implementation grant to restore high-priority degraded landscapes
with locally generated organic amendments that would increase natural filtration of storm runoff,
control erosion, and improve soil nutrient cycling and plant productivity. An S-mile segment of
Cane Creek was restored to "Supporting" status in 2020 based on 2018 data from Georgia's Wildlife
Resources Division (WRD).

Problem

The 4,068-acre Cane Creek watershed (HUC-12
#031300010603) lies near the city of Dahlonega
in northern Georgia's Upper Chattahoochee River
watershed (Figure 1). The watershed lies within the
Piedmont ecoregion of moderately dissected irregular
plains and some hills. Land cover is 4.7% developed;
90.4% forested; 4.8% pasture/hay; and 0.2 % tran-
sitional, with 0.4% impervious surface. Cane Creek
and other watersheds within the larger Chestatee
River drainage area are considered a high priority
for watershed protection and restoration efforts,
as they provide 28% of the annual average inflow
to Lake Sydney Lanier, the primary water supply to
the Atlanta metropolitan area. This area is also a
priority for aquatic species biodiversity conservation
by the Georgia Department of Natural Resource's
Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.

Cane Creek was assessed in May 2004 at WRD sam-
pling site #701, resulting in an index of Biotic Integrity
(IB!) narrative rating of very poor against a standard
range of excellent-good-fair. Due to the very poor
rating, Cane Creek was added to the 2008 Integrated
305(b)/303(d) List of Waters as not supporting the
designated use of fishing due to Bio F (fish) impacted
by sediment. The 2017 Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) Evaluation for 29 Stream Segments in the
Chattahoochee River Basin for Sediment supported a
preliminary 2015 Chestatee River-Yahoola Creek TMDL
Implementation Plan by identifying nonpoint sources

Figure 1. Cane Creek is in northern Georgia.

impacting fish biota in Cane Creek, which includes
silviculture, row crops, agricultural livestock, strip
mines/quarries, unpaved roads/rights-of-way, and
urban development (namely degraded landscapes).
These studies set a goal of maintaining an acceptable
sediment load of 173 tons/year sustained by imple-
menting recommended best management practices
such as mulching, critical area planting and tree/shrub
establishment, which would allow Cane Creek to repair
itself over time.

Cane Creek

Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Environmental Protection Division

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Figure 2. UNG Radar Ridge restoration site (2017).

Story Highlights

Sedimentation in Cane Creek was addressed by the
Chestatee Watershed Partnership as one of several
projects that would Implement the 2015 TMDL
Implementation Plan in the Chestatee River-Yahoola
Creek drainage area. A geographical information
system-based model developed by the University of
North Georgia (UNG) prioritized "potential erosion
hotspots" for sediment runoff in urban settings and
targeted several locations on the UNG Dahlonega
campus for remediation with organic amendments
(leaf mold and/or wood mulch).

Project work took place in 2016-2018 and set the
stage for continued ecological restoration of disturbed
or degraded soils and vegetation going forward. Leaf
mold provided by the City of Dahlonega and wood
mulch supplied by the Amicalola Electric Membership
Corporation were delivered to sites on the UNG cam-
pus. Radar Ridge (Figure 2) was the first site selected
for a demonstration restoration; chipped wood mulch
was placed on both flat surfaces and slopes drain-
ing to an intermittent stream. The Commons Dorms
site was restored by spreading aged leaf mold on a
hillslope with gullied erosion, followed by planting
winter rye and perennial fescue grasses covered with
wheat straw, then allowing the grasses to grow taller
for much of the late summer to encourage deeper root

penetration and carbon sequestration of compacted
soils, in addition, hands-on field days and onsite
signage supported communication among watershed
stakeholders and "Reserve Your Topsoil" telephone
surveys of developers about stockpiling and respread-
ing topsoil promoted adoption of best practices.

Results

At completion, approximately 65% of bare soils (9,001
square feet, or 0.21 acres) on the UNG Dahlonega cam-
pus were covered with mulch at a depth of 1-2 inches,
and grass was successfully established as a "biofilter of
stormwater runoff as it flows across the surface" (per
Georgia Stormwater Management Manual Volume 2,
page 135). Installed soil amendments were estimated
by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
model to reduce acceptable sediment loadings into
the Cane Creek watershed by 8 tons/year.

Cane Creek was assessed in August 2018 at WRD
site #1471 (downstream from the original sampling
site). The resulting IBI narrative rating of fair met the
minimum standard. In 2020 Georgia Environmental
Protection Division revised the Cane Creek listing by
assigning "Not Supporting" status to an additional
3 miles upstream of the original impaired reach and
restoring 8 miles downstream (Cane Creek Falls to
Chestatee River near Dahlonega) to "Supporting"
status for Bio F sediment based on the 2018 data from
WRD #1471.

Mulching projects that produced immediate results
on campus have impacted UNG's thinking about land
development and stormwater management practices.
Additional outcomes include sustained, cost-effective
operation and maintenance which has enhanced
landscape aesthetic. UNG facilities staff has improved
grounds maintenance practices by identifying and
mulching additional areas prone to erosion; compost-
ing leaves and trimmings to nourish flowerbeds and
reseed bare spots; and receiving mulch at no cost from
a local tree service.

Partners and Funding

A 2015 CWA section 319(h) grant ($18,329) sup-
ported UNG campus project expenses. Matching
funds were contributed by the Georgia Mountain
Regional Commission ($321) for grant administration;
UNG ($12,955) for project management; the City of
Dahlonega ($1,196) for mulch delivery; and Kimmel's
Lawn Care and Landscaping ($3,850).

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC

EPA 841-F-21-001FF
December 2021

For additional information contact:

Mary Gaza way

Georgia EPD

404-651-8522 • mary.gazaway@dnr.ga.gov
Justin Ellis

Longwood University
434-395-4897 • ellisjs@longwood.edu

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