Surface Water - Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Lower Black Warrior River (0316-0113)
Assessment stations located within the sub-watershed. Descriptions are provided in Appendix E-1.
Station Assessment
Type
Date Location Area
(mi 2 )
Classification
BSAT-59b
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
BSCUA01 Chemical 1998-
1999
Warrior5
SSB-1
Biological,
Chemical
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
2002 Big Sandy Cr. us of confluence with
Lye Branch at unnamed Tuscaloosa
CR
18 F&W
Big Sandy Cr. at AL Hwy 69 174 F&W
2002 Big Sandy Cr. approx. 0.5 mi. us of
confluence with Black Warrior R.
178 F&W
2002 South Sandy Cr. at Talladega NFR 731 21 F&W
Intensive water quality data were collected monthly from the Big Sandy Creek
embayment at Warrior5 to determine the sediment and nutrient loading to Warrior
Reservoir (ADEM 2004b). The site is located within the Southeastern Floodplains and
Low Terraces (65p) subecoregion (Appendix E). Mean total suspended solid
concentrations were the highest of all of the Black Warrior tributaries (ADEM 2004b)
South Sandy Creek: South Sandy Creek at SSB-1 has been intensively monitored in
conjunction with ADEM’s Ecoregional Reference Reach Program (Appendix E). Located
in the Fall Line Hills (65i) subecoregion, South Sandy Creek at SSB-1 is a low-gradient,
sandy bottomed stream (Appendix O-1). During the 2002 sampling, habitat quality was
slightly impacted by sediment deposition. The macroinvertebrate community was in
excellent condition while the fish community was assessed as good/fair (Appendix O-2).
Results of chemical data are presented in Appendix O-3.
Sub-watershed status: Big Sandy Creek was identified as a NPS priority sub-watershed in
1997 due to impaired conditions detected in Big Sandy Creek at BSAT-59b. Although
information from the 1998 SWCD sub-watershed assessments indicated the potential for
NPS impairment to be low, a roadside survey showed the sub-watershed to be susceptible
to impairment from cattle production, forestry, and roadside erosion. In 2002, habitat
quality was again impaired by heavy deposition, poor bank condition, a lack of adequate
pool habitat, and a lack of riparian vegetation. The fish community was assessed as fair.
Intensive water quality sampling conducted within the Big Sandy Creek embayment
suggested the tributary to be a significant source of sediment to the Warrior Reservoir.
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