Black Branch 2

Small headwater stream in an agricultural setting with limestone bedrock substrate. The stream appears to support limited aquatic habitat due to its very small size and shallow depth, but the clear water and natural channel form suggest reasonable ecological function for a stream of this order.

The channel appears largely natural with no evidence of straightening, armoring, or significant alteration. The limestone bedrock substrate provides natural grade control. Minor lateral erosion is present upstream but not excessive for a natural stream. The channel appears to be in a naturally evolved state within its agricultural landscape.

The stream shows slight incision through the limestone bedrock with banks approximately 3-4 feet high in places. The floodplain appears connected based on the low bank heights in some areas and evidence of flood deposits, but the agricultural land use and potential drainage alterations may have increased peak flows and altered hydrology somewhat. The bedrock channel limits further downcutting.

The bedrock-controlled channel shows minimal sediment deposition. The exposed limestone bed has scattered loose rock fragments and minor gravel/sediment accumulation in low spots, but less than 30% of the visible bed is affected. The bedrock substrate prevents significant sediment storage.

At this low flow stage, the stream is dominated by shallow conditions. Only slow-shallow and fast-shallow regimes are apparent. The narrow channel and bedrock substrate limit the development of deep areas. No significant pools visible in the reach. During higher flows more regimes may be present, but current conditions show limited velocity-depth diversity.

Water is present throughout the visible channel but does not fill the full width. Approximately 50-75% of the channel cross-section contains water, with exposed bedrock and rock substrate along the margins. The stream appears to be at low-flow conditions but is still flowing.

The bedrock-dominated channel shows limited riffle development. The uniform gradient and flat bedrock surface create mostly run habitat with occasional shallow riffle-like areas where loose rock accumulates. Pool-riffle sequences are poorly developed due to the bedrock control.

This is a small headwater stream flowing over Middle Tennessee limestone bedrock. The channel is bedrock-controlled which limits both incision and lateral migration. The stream has characteristics between Rosgen B and G types given the bedrock control and moderate entrenchment. The agricultural setting and narrow riparian buffer may contribute to flashy hydrology but the bedrock substrate provides inherent stability. The stream may be classified as a B3 or B1 subtype given the bedrock/cobble substrate.

The left bank (visible in the right face and back face views) shows moderate stability with natural vegetation cover and moderate bank heights. Root exposure is moderate in places from trees growing on the bank edge. Some undercutting visible upstream. The bank is generally held together by tree roots and natural limestone rock structure, providing reasonable stability for this stream type.

Approximately 70% vegetative coverage on the left bank during dormant season. Trees provide root stabilization even though canopy is bare. Herbaceous ground cover is emerging in places. Some bare soil and exposed rock present. During growing season, coverage would likely be higher.

Left bank shows natural limestone bedrock exposure in places with tree root stabilization. Minor undercutting visible upstream where trees have exposed root masses. Riparian corridor is narrow with agricultural fields beyond.

The right bank (visible in left face) shows steep, rocky banks with exposed limestone layers. The natural rock provides reasonable stability but the bank is steeper than the left bank. Minor scour erosion is present. Trees growing from the bank face provide additional root stabilization but the narrow buffer and agricultural land use limit long-term bank integrity.

Approximately 50-70% vegetative coverage on the right bank. Significant exposed rock and bare soil visible. The sparse tree canopy and limited shrub layer during dormant season reduce the effective bank protection. Some herbaceous vegetation is present but the overall protection is less than optimal.

Right bank characterized by steep limestone rock faces with scattered trees. The narrow riparian buffer transitions quickly to open agricultural/pasture land with a barn visible. The exposed rock bank is naturally stable but the sparse vegetation and narrow buffer are limiting factors.

The left riparian zone extends approximately 25-50 feet from the stream bank based on the right face view showing the wooded area transitioning to open agricultural fields. For a stream approximately 4-6 feet wide, this represents roughly 5-10x the channel width which would seem adequate, but the buffer is narrower than ideal for filtering agricultural runoff and providing full ecological function.

The right riparian zone is narrower than the left, with the left face view showing trees and vegetation transitioning relatively quickly to open pasture/agricultural land. The buffer appears to be approximately 10-25 feet wide with agricultural fields and a barn visible nearby. This narrow buffer limits filtering capacity for agricultural runoff.

There are some trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants along the banks and in the narrow riparian buffer, but the overall floodplain vegetation is limited. The adjacent agricultural land use has converted most of the floodplain area. During the growing season, the conditions would appear somewhat better, but the narrow buffer width and agricultural dominance limit the score.

During the current dormant season, canopy shade is limited to approximately 25-50% due to the mostly bare deciduous trees with some eastern red cedars providing evergreen cover. During the growing season, the shade would increase significantly to potentially 50-75% given the tree density visible. The mixture of deciduous and evergreen species provides some year-round shading.

The right bank riparian buffer appears inadequate relative to TDEC MS4 permit requirements. Agricultural land use encroaches close to the stream on the right bank. Buffer restoration through native tree and shrub planting would significantly improve filtering capacity, bank stability, and stream health. The left bank buffer is marginally adequate but would also benefit from widening.

The bedrock-dominated channel provides limited epifaunal substrate. While some undercut banks with root masses and scattered loose cobble/gravel provide colonization opportunities, the smooth bedrock surface that dominates the bed is relatively poor habitat. Approximately 25-40% of available substrate is favorable for colonization, with undercut banks and root systems providing the primary habitat.

For a low-gradient bedrock-controlled stream, the embeddedness assessment is somewhat atypical. The loose rock and gravel fragments scattered on the bedrock surface show approximately 25-50% embedding by fine sediment where present. The bedrock dominance limits this metric's applicability but the scattered gravel is moderately embedded.

The visible reach shows very limited pool development. The bedrock-controlled channel with uniform gradient and very shallow water creates predominantly run habitat. No significant pools are visible in any direction. The entire bottom is easily discernible due to the clear, shallow water over bedrock. The upstream view shows slightly deeper water but still no true pools.

Fish cover is limited with only 3 cover types identified: woody debris (fallen logs visible downstream), undercut banks (upstream), and root mats. The stream lacks deep pools, boulders, macrophyte beds, and backwater areas that would provide additional cover. The very small channel size further limits fish habitat potential.

No physical barriers to fish movement are visible within the assessed reach. However, the very low flow conditions could seasonally limit fish passage through the shallow bedrock reaches. The natural limestone bedrock does not create significant drop structures in this reach.

Some woody debris is present with a fallen log/debris accumulation visible downstream and scattered branches. Approximately 3-7 pieces per 100 meters visible. One small debris jam partially spans the channel downstream. Most pieces are small to medium diameter. The debris does not appear to be forming significant pools due to the bedrock substrate control.

Four types of macroinvertebrate habitat are identified but none are abundant. Undercut banks provide some protected habitat, scattered cobble on bedrock offers some substrate diversity, fine woody debris and leaf packs are present in limited quantities. The bedrock-dominated bed limits the diversity and abundance of colonizable substrate. During higher flows, conditions may improve.

Score assigned based on habitat potential rather than direct observation. The clear water, natural bedrock substrate, and limited but present habitat features suggest conditions suitable for facultative organisms. Direct sampling would be needed to confirm.

No macroinvertebrates were directly observed in the imagery, but habitat assessment suggests potential for Group II (facultative) organisms given the clear water, bedrock substrate, and some habitat diversity. Score based on habitat quality rather than direct observation. The clear water and natural channel suggest conditions could support a reasonable macroinvertebrate community.

Suitable Habitat: No

The small headwater stream with bedrock substrate and limited depth provides minimal habitat for species of concern. However, headwater streams in Middle Tennessee can be important for certain salamander species and small fish. The clear water quality is positive for potential aquatic species.

No wildlife directly observed during this survey. Winter conditions and the presence of a human surveyor in the channel likely minimized wildlife visibility. Standing dead trees and woody debris provide some wildlife habitat structure. The stream's connection to agricultural landscapes may support some wildlife movement corridors.

Water is very clear in the downstream and at-station views, with the bedrock substrate easily visible. The upstream view shows slightly more turbid/brownish water suggesting some disturbance from the surveyor's wading. Under undisturbed conditions, the water appears to have excellent clarity with objects visible on the bottom throughout. No sheen, film, or discoloration observed.

Water is clear with no evidence of algal blooms or excessive macrophyte growth. Very minor algae may be present on some rock surfaces (typical for any stream) but no problematic growths are evident. The bedrock substrate shows no heavy biofilm. No evidence of nutrient enrichment despite adjacent agricultural land use.

No manure or waste is directly visible in the stream or on banks. However, the adjacent agricultural/pasture land and the visible fence line suggest potential livestock use of adjacent fields. The fence may serve to exclude livestock from the stream corridor, which would be positive. No direct evidence of livestock access to the stream banks or manure in/near the water.

The stream is in a rural agricultural setting with no significant impervious surfaces nearby. During winter dormancy, canopy shade is reduced to 25-50% due to bare deciduous trees, with eastern red cedars providing the only evergreen shade. During the growing season, shade would increase substantially to potentially 50-75%. No thermal stress indicators observed. The shallow bedrock channel may be susceptible to thermal loading during summer months due to the limited depth and incomplete canopy coverage.

No apparent permit violations or compliance concerns observed at this location. The narrow riparian buffer on the right bank could be a concern under TDEC buffer requirements but is not necessarily a violation depending on zoning and regulatory context.

Terrestrial Invasives Assessment

Aquatic Invasives Assessment

Identification is limited during winter dormancy. Some vine-like growth in the understory of both banks could be Japanese honeysuckle based on the semi-evergreen green growth visible on the ground and in the lower canopy. Some shrubs in the right bank view could potentially be bush honeysuckle based on the branching pattern. Confidence is low due to dormant season conditions. A growing-season survey would be needed for accurate invasive species assessment.