Surface Water - Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Mulberry Fork (0316-0109)
Assessment stations located within the sub-watershed. Descriptions are provided in Appendix E-1.
Station Assessment
Type
Date Location Area
(mi 2 )
OTC-1
Chemical,
Habitat,
Biological
1999
2002
Classification
Old Town Cr. at Walker CR 81 18 F&W
OTC-2 Chemical 1999 Old Town CR. at Walker CR 22 4 F&W
GSAMF-31 a
GSAMF-48 b
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
2000 Mulberry Fork approx. 0.3 mi ds of
Rice Cr.
478 F&W
GSAMF-30 a
GSAMF-47 b
MUFUA-1
GSAMF-27 a
GSAMF-44 b
SLOW-11
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
1998-
1999
2000
2002
1999
2002
Mulberry Fork at Blount CR 17 488 F&W
Mulberry Fork approx. 4 mi. N of
Empire
533 F&W
2002 Sloan Cr. at unnamed CR 3 F&W
a. GSA Fish IBI assessment location as reported in Shepard et al. (2001); b. GSA Fish IBI assessment location as
reported in Shepard et al. (2002)
E). Nitrate+nitrite-nitrogen was elevated at OTC-1. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen was above
background levels at OTC-2.
Sloan Creek: Sloan Creek, located in the Dissected Plateau (68e) subecoregion, was
assessed during June of 2002. At SLOW-11, Sloan Creek was characterized by gravel and
cobble riffles and sand (Appendix J). Although overall habitat quality was similar to
reference conditions, sediment deposits and eroded and unstable streambanks were present.
The macroinvertebrate community was assessed as poor (Appendix J). Total dissolved
solids were elevated at Sloan Creek during one sampling event in June of 2002 (Appendix
M).
Mulberry Fork: Five fish IBI assessments have been conducted by GSA at 3 locations on
Mulberry Fork (Appendix E, Shepard et al. 2001, Shepard et al. 2002). All three stations
were located below the confluence of Duck River and above the confluence with Sipsey
Fork. Landuse in this section of the sub-watershed is pine, mixed forest, and pasture
(Shepard et al. 2001, Shepard et al. 2002). Affects of sedimentation, eutrophication and
nutrient enrichment were evident at the sites. At GSAMF-48, the upstream-most station,
the fish community was assessed as fair in October of 2000 (Appendix G). Two separate
assessments were completed at each of the two downstream stations and resulted in overall
assessment ratings of fair (Appendix G, Shepard et al. 2001, Shepard et al. 2002).
Intensive water quality data were collected from Mulberry Fork at MUFUA-1
(GSAMF-47) from November of 1998 through October of 1999 (Appendix S). Nutrient
concentrations (TP, TKN, NO 3 +NO 2 -N), total suspended solids, and total dissolved solids
were elevated, supporting GSA’s bioassessment results.
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