Surface Water - Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Sipsey Fork (0316-0110)
Sub-Watershed: Upper Ryan Creek NRCS Sub-Watershed Number 110
Landuse: The Upper Ryan Creek sub-watershed drains approximately 85 mi 2 in Cullman
County. Forest and pasture land were the dominant land cover types within the subwatershed.
A total of 20 current construction/stormwater authorizations, NPDES permits,
and CAFO registrations have been issued in the sub-watershed (Appendix B).
Percent land cover estimated by local SWCD (Appendix A, ASWCC 1998)
Forest Row crop Pasture Mining Urban Open Water Other
42% 6% 38% 0% 10% 1% 3%
NPS impairment potential: Based on the 1998 SWCD sub-watershed assessment results,
the main NPS concerns within the sub-watershed were poultry and cattle production, runoff
from crop and pasture lands, and forestry (Appendix D). Impairment from urban runoff
and development were also concerns within the sub-watershed. The sub-watershed was
given a 5 th priority rating by the local SWCD. Resource concerns included crop erosion,
poor management of animal waste, low dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and bacteria in surface
waters, and livestock in streams (Appendix I).
Ratings for each NPS category based on values estimated during the SWCD sub-watershed assessment.
Category
NPS
Score
Animal
husbandry
Aquaculture
Row
crop
Pasture Mining Forestry Sediment
Value 19 2.45 AU/ac 0.00% 7% 38% 0% 40% 1.0 ton/ac/yr
NPS Potential H H L M H L M L
Appendix D H H A A A I I
Assessments: Rock Creek and Ryan Creek were monitored during the 2002 NPS screening
assessment (Appendix F). Ryan Creek and Rock Creek have also been monitored in
conjunction with ADEM’s §303(d) Monitoring Program, the 2002 Periphyton
Bioassessment Pilot Project, and GSA’s Mulbery Fork Asesment (Appendix E).
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