Preliminary Ecological Survey of Shady Branch, Giles County, TN (Richland Creek Tributary)

On December 17, 2017, I took a limited collection of aquatic macroinvertebrates from "Shady Branch", an apparently unnamed tributary to Richland Creek in northern Giles County, TN (Stream enters Richland Creek at Lat/Long: 35.286059, -87.026932). Samples were taken from undersides of about 12 submerged rocks. Flow rate is estimated at between 2 and 5 cfs. Turbidity was very low, water was completely transparent. Stream originates at spring less than 0.25 miles upstream on same property, but is also fed by two small tributaries from the north, which both transect cattle pastures. Property at locality is historically a cattle farm, but has been utilized as row-crop farmland for 5 years. Sampling locality (Lat/Long: 32.285678, -87.016789) was just upstream of first tributary entering Shady Branch.

Observed macroinvertebrates include: Ephemeroptera (2 very small specimens [~5 mm]), Hydropsychidae (6 specimens collected, but more were observed in the stream. Taxon was abundant), Gastropoda (5 specimens), Amphipoda (1 specimen), and Dugesiidae (1 specimen).

https://leafpacknetwork.org/biotic-index/ Biotic Index Calculator produced biotic index of 5.56, or "Fair" water quality with "substantial pollution likely".

More thorough sampling will be necessary. Water samples should be collected from spring source (A), first tributary (B), second tributary (C), and just upstream of mouth at Richland Creek (D), and tested for nitrogen levels, fecal bacteria, and other livestock-related contaminants.

Posted on December 18, 2017 03:01 PM by