Black Branch 2

Small headwater stream in agricultural landscape showing heavy sediment load and limited riparian buffer. Likely impaired for siltation based on turbid brown water and dominantly silt substrate. Box culvert crossing creates habitat discontinuity.

The stream is channelized through a concrete box culvert at this location. The upstream reach shows some incision and bank erosion. The culvert represents significant channel alteration. Overall the channel shows evidence of straightening and modification associated with the road crossing. The natural channel upstream is somewhat degraded but not fully channelized.

Moderate incision is evident upstream of the culvert with banks 3-6ft high relative to water level. The box culvert and road embankment constrict flow. The stream appears somewhat disconnected from its floodplain. Agricultural land use and road infrastructure limit floodplain access.

The stream bed is dominated by silt and mud, indicating heavy sediment loading from the surrounding agricultural landscape. Fine sediment deposition is visible on the culvert floor and throughout the upstream channel. The turbid brown water suggests active sediment transport. Approximately 30-50% of the bed appears affected by fine sediment deposition.

The channel at this location is dominated by shallow, slow-moving flow through a uniform culvert and low-gradient upstream channel. Only one velocity/depth regime is clearly apparent - slow-shallow. The box culvert eliminates any natural variation in velocity and depth.

Water appears to fill most of the low-flow channel width. Inside the culvert, water extends across much of the floor. The upstream channel shows water reaching near the base of both banks. Approximately 75-90% of the active channel contains water.

No riffles are visible in any direction. The stream is low gradient with a uniform silt/mud substrate that does not support riffle formation. The concrete culvert is completely uniform. The upstream natural channel shows only slow runs.

Small, entrenched stream in agricultural landscape. The F-type classification reflects the entrenched, low-gradient channel with fine-grained bed material and active bank erosion. The concrete box culvert at the road crossing represents a significant engineered feature. The stream may have been straightened historically for agricultural drainage. Channel evolution appears to be in a degradation/widening phase with bank erosion active upstream of the culvert.

The left bank upstream of the culvert shows moderate instability with exposed bare soil, eroding edges, and steep banks. Root exposure is moderate. The agricultural field extends to near the bank edge with minimal buffer. At the culvert itself, the concrete wingwall provides stability but this is engineered rather than natural. Overall bank stability is poor outside the culvert zone.

Vegetation on the left bank is sparse, consisting primarily of dormant grass and a few scattered herbaceous plants. The agricultural field is mowed/grazed to near the bank edge. Approximately 50-60% of the bank has some vegetative cover, but much is dormant grass rather than deep-rooted vegetation. Bare soil patches are visible along the eroding bank edge.

Left bank transitions from unprotected eroding agricultural bank upstream to concrete culvert wingwall at the road crossing. Utility pole is situated near bank edge with some concrete foundation material. Minimal riparian buffer - agricultural field extends nearly to bank edge.

The right bank shows slightly better conditions than the left. The upstream view shows some trees and brush along the right bank providing limited root stabilization. At the culvert, concrete wingwalls provide engineered stability. Erosion is present but somewhat less severe than the left bank due to scattered tree roots.

The right bank has slightly more vegetative protection than the left, with some deciduous trees, shrubs, and vine growth. Upstream, scattered trees provide some root protection. At the culvert, vines and brush are growing on and around the wingwall. However, coverage is still only approximately 60-70% and is predominantly dormant in winter.

Right bank has slightly better riparian conditions than left, with scattered trees upstream providing some root protection. Residential properties visible beyond the right bank with mowed grass areas. Culvert wingwall in good structural condition.

The left bank has essentially no riparian buffer. Agricultural pasture/field extends to within a few feet of the bank edge. With the channel approximately 8-10ft wide, the buffer is well under 0.33x channel width. Only a narrow fringe of dormant grass exists between the field and the bank edge.

The right bank has a slightly wider riparian zone with scattered trees and shrubs providing approximately 10-25ft of buffer in places. However, this is narrow and fragmented with residential properties visible beyond. The buffer is approximately 0.33x channel width.

The floodplain vegetation is mostly removed for agriculture on the left and sparse residential landscaping on the right. Some scattered trees remain along the channel margins upstream, but the riparian corridor is severely compromised. Most natural vegetation has been replaced by agricultural grass or is dormant/sparse.

Very limited canopy cover. The UP view shows almost entirely open sky with only scattered bare tree branches at margins. Even in full leaf, the sparse tree cover along this reach would provide less than 25% shade. The agricultural land use and road crossing create a wide canopy gap.

Both banks fail to meet TDEC MS4 permit section 4.2.5.4 minimum 30ft buffer requirements. The left bank is the most critical with agricultural use extending to the bank edge, contributing to erosion and sediment loading. Right bank is slightly better but still non-compliant. Buffer restoration, especially on the left bank, would be highly effective given the flat agricultural terrain.

Very limited epifaunal substrate. The channel is dominated by fine silt/mud with no cobble, boulders, or significant woody debris visible in the immediate area. The concrete culvert provides no colonization habitat. Less than 20% of the substrate is favorable for macroinvertebrate colonization.

The substrate is almost entirely silt and mud with very heavy fine sediment deposition. Any coarser substrates that may exist are completely embedded. The concrete culvert floor has a layer of deposited fine sediment. No gravel or cobble is visible.

The stream is uniformly shallow with minimal pool development. The entire bed is generally discernible (when not turbid). The low gradient and fine sediment substrate do not support well-defined pool formation. The culvert creates a slightly deeper uniform section but this is not a functional pool habitat.

Very limited fish cover. Only overhanging vegetation (minimal) and some undercut banks are present. No deep pools, logs, boulders, cobble, root mats, or macrophyte beds are visible. The culvert provides dark cover but is a barrier rather than quality habitat. Only 2 cover types available.

The concrete box culvert is present in the reach. While it appears to have a relatively flush invert (no perched condition visible), the length of the dark concrete passage may inhibit fish movement. The drop at the inlet/outlet appears minimal (<1ft) but the culvert represents a partial barrier to fish movement.

Very little large woody debris is visible. The upstream reach shows some small brush and branches along the banks but no significant logs, rootwads, or debris jams. The culvert area is completely clear of LWD. The agricultural landscape and sparse riparian zone limit LWD recruitment.

Very limited macroinvertebrate habitat. The dominant substrate is fine silt/mud with no cobble, gravel, or stable substrates for colonization. The concrete culvert provides minimal habitat. Only undercut banks provide any potential invertebrate habitat. Leaf packs and woody debris are essentially absent. Only 1 habitat type present.

Habitat conditions strongly suggest a community dominated by tolerant organisms (Group III) such as midges and worms. The silt-dominated substrate, lack of stable colonization surfaces, and agricultural sediment loading severely limit invertebrate diversity. No organisms were directly observed in the photos.

No macroinvertebrates directly observed in imagery. Assessment based on habitat conditions which are very poor - dominated by fine silt with minimal stable substrate. Conditions would support only tolerant taxa (Group III). Score reflects expected community based on habitat rather than direct observation.

Suitable Habitat: No

Habitat quality is poor for most wildlife species of concern. The degraded riparian zone, silt-dominated substrate, and agricultural land use do not support rare or sensitive species. No mussel beds, spawning habitat, or other critical features observed.

No wildlife directly observed. The assessor's presence in the stream may have displaced any wildlife. Winter conditions and degraded habitat limit wildlife activity. The stream provides minimal wildlife habitat at this location.

Water is considerably turbid with brown coloration throughout all views. Visibility appears to be approximately 0.5-1ft based on the partially visible stream bed. The turbidity likely reflects recent rainfall runoff from surrounding agricultural fields. Sediment is the primary water quality concern visually.

Despite the turbidity, there is no visible algal growth, green coloration, or macrophyte abundance. The brown turbidity appears to be from sediment rather than nutrient enrichment. However, winter conditions limit algal growth assessment. Score reflects the lack of visible nutrient enrichment indicators while acknowledging seasonal limitations.

No direct evidence of manure or waste in the stream. However, the agricultural pasture/field extends to the bank edge on the left, and livestock access to the riparian zone cannot be ruled out (fencing is not clearly visible). No manure, waste pipes, or obvious agricultural waste was observed in the water.

The stream is essentially unshaded at this location with agricultural fields and the road creating an open canopy environment. Even in leaf-on conditions, the sparse scattered trees would provide minimal shade. During summer months, water temperatures are likely elevated due to lack of shading. The concrete culvert may also contribute to thermal loading. Riparian buffer restoration would significantly improve thermal conditions. Currently classified as warmwater with no thermal refugia identified.

No active construction or recent disturbance observed. The chronic lack of riparian buffer and agricultural land use extending to the stream bank is a long-standing condition rather than a recent violation. Litter observed (plastic bag) is minor.

Terrestrial Invasives Assessment

Aquatic Invasives Assessment

Winter dormancy makes invasive species identification extremely difficult. The dense vine growth on the right culvert wingwall could potentially be Japanese honeysuckle or other invasive vines but cannot be confirmed in dormant state. The sparse vegetation along the banks prevents confident identification. A growing season survey is recommended for accurate invasive species assessment. Confidence level is low due to dormant conditions.

Full concrete box culvert carrying stream under road. Cast-in-place concrete with header beam and wingwalls visible. Structure appears in good condition with no visible cracking or deterioration. Approximately 8-10ft wide and 4-5ft tall opening.

Right side wingwall of the box culvert is prominent. Concrete appears solid with some weathering and moss/lichen growth but structurally sound. Small drain holes visible near base of wingwall. Dense vine growth (dormant) covering portions of the concrete face.

Concrete culvert floor and walls visible at margins of view. Transition zone between natural channel bed upstream and concrete culvert floor. Sediment deposition on concrete floor apparent.