State of the Water October 25, 2016 Union County Community Center
What is a Watershed?
Nashville Birmingham Atlanta
Athens Etowah Cleveland Murphy Andrews Hayesville Copper Hill Blue Ridge Young Harris Hiawassee Morganton Blairsville Suches
Map of the Upper Hiwassee River Basin
Dec 2015 Record Flooding
Dec 2015 Record Flooding
Dec 2015 Record Flooding
What is Water Quality? Physical Chemical Biological Habitat
Major Water Quality Concerns in the Hiwassee River Basin 1. Excess Sediment 2. Pathogens (e.g. E. coli) 3. Excess Nutrients Too much runoff!
We want to prevent this!
WQ Concerns Bank Erosion
WQ Concerns Construction
WQ Concerns Development of Steep Slopes
WQ Concerns Loss of Riparian Buffers & Channelization
Major Water Quality Concerns in the Hiwassee River Basin 1. Excess Sediment 2. Pathogens (e.g. E. coli) 3. Excess Nutrients Too much runoff!
We want to prevent this! And this!
And this!
WQ Concerns Agriculture
Water Quality Concerns Leaking & Failing Septic Systems
WQ Concerns Geese
WQ Concerns Managed Turf
WQ Concerns Lack of Buffers
Other Nutrient Sources Not pathogens, if in compliance!
Major Water Quality Concerns in the Hiwassee River Basin 1. Excess Sediment 2. Excess Nutrients 3. Pathogens (e.g. E.coli) Too much runoff!
WQ Concerns Impervious Surfaces Roads and Parking Lots Driveways and Rooftops
WQ Concerns - Changing Hydrology Increased Runoff Increased Pollutants Impacts to Stream Banks Habitat Degradation Decline in Fishing
Use Impairment Data (every 2 years)
State Biological Data (5-year cycle)
Volunteer Monitoring (monthly!) 10+ years data from 21 sites; currently 55 active sites! www.georgiaadoptastream.com
TVA Ecological Health Ratings (? Interval) Chatuge: Poor in 2012 Nottely: Poor in 2011 Hiwassee: Fair in 2012 Apalachia: Good in 2012
Water Quality Overview
Nottely River Highlights Now sampling 2 locations on the river upstream and 7 locations on tributaries to the lake! At least fifteen E. coli samples collected at each of 4 locations on Butternut Creek No waters were added or removed from the list of impaired waters between 2014 and 2016 E. coli concentrations are well above recreation water quality standards at most monitored sites, including the Nottely River Rapier Mill Creek was added to the list of impaired waters in NC in 2016
Nottely River Data Location Low High Ave Upstream Old Bald Mtn. Rd. (L) GA Mtn. Exp. Station (R) 133 2200 1015 33 3467 664 E. coli data reported in colonies/100ml A minimum of 15 samples were collected at each site.
Butternut Creek at Mountain Building Supply Butternut Creek at Union Co. Farmers Market Butternut Creek at the Golf Course Butternut Creek at Meeks Park (Colwell Fields)
Butternut Creek Data Location Low High Ave Notes Mtn. Bldg. Supply 0 567 105 2 hits >200 Farmers Market 0 3367 455 4 hits >200 in 22 samples; 2 hits >1,000 Golf course 0 600 162 3 hits >200 Meeks Park 0 300 102 4 hits >200 E. coli data reported in Colonies/100mL A minimum of 15 samples were collected at each site.
Brasstown Creek Highlights Now sampling 4 locations on the creek; 2 in GA and 2 in NC! Early results indicate that the recreation standard is being met at all four locations! No waters were added or removed from the list of impaired waters between 2014 and 2016 Volunteers are needed to sample Corn Creek and Yewell Branch in Young Harris, as well as Brasstown Creek above Yewell Br. (Trackrock area)
Lake Chatuge Improvements 2006 phosphorus loading to Lake Chatuge 27% 34% Developed Areas Pasturelands Point Sources 39% 2,600 lbs/yr removed in 2016! 2,800 lbs/yr removed in 2012-14
Hiwassee River Highlights Reactivated one Towns Co. site and added one in Clay Co. for a total of six on Hiwassee River Now have 4 years of recent data for the main Hiwassee River site above Lake Chatuge, added to 10 years of historical data It appears that all locations are generally meeting the recreation water quality standards Water temperatures were very high at the main Hiwassee River site this summer E. coli concentrations spike at two Clay County sites during high flow events
Hiwassee River Highlights Hiwassee River at The Retreat (formerly the Trout Lodge Temperature data reported in degrees Celsius.
Hiwassee River at The Retreat Towns County Hiwassee River at Streak Hill Rd. Towns County Hiwassee River at Martin Hill Clay County Hiwassee River at Sweetwater Park Clay County
Fish Kill on the Valley River
Other NC Highlights Martins Creek was removed from the list of impaired waters for fish & aquatic life! An older monitoring site on Shooting Creek was reactivated this year! Summertime temperatures in Shooting Creek were too high to support trout
Contact Information 90 Tennessee Street, Ste. D (Lewis Jones Nationwide Insurance Bldg.) 828-837-5414 Phone & Fax cmoore@hrwc.net www.hrwc.net