Surface Water - Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Lower Black Warrior River (0316-0113)
Sub-Watershed: Minter Creek NRCS Sub-Watershed Number 110
Landuse: The Minter Creek sub-watershed drains approximately 52 mi 2 in Greene County.
Forest was the predominant land cover. No current construction/stormwater
authorizations, NPDES permits, or CAFO registrations have been issued in the subwatershed
(Appendix B).
Percent land cover estimated by local SWCD (Appendix A, ASWCC 1998)
Forest Row crop Pasture Mining Urban Open Water Other
72% 3% 21% 0% 1% 2% 1%
NPS impairment potential: Based on the 1998 SWCD landuse information, the overall
potential for impairment from all rural and urban nonpoint sources was estimated as low,
but aquaculture, pasture runoff, and forestry were NPS concerns within the sub-watershed
(Appendix D). Sediment from sand and gravel pits contributed approximately 3.5
tons/ac/yr (73%) to the estimated total annual sediment load (Appendix I). Minter Creek
was given a 5 th priority sub-watershed rating by the local SWCD for erosion from roads
and agricultural land, overgrazed pastures, 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 13 0.05 AU/ac 0.48% 3% 21% 0% 35% 4.8 tons/ac/yr
NPS Potential L L M L M L M L
Appendix D H H A A A I I
Assessments: Minter Creek was assessed at one location during the 2002 Basinwide NPS
screening assessment of the BWC Basin Group (Appendix F).
Assessment stations located within the sub-watershed. Descriptions are provided in Appendix E-1.
Station Assessment
Type
Date Location Area
(mi 2 )
Classification
MING-41a
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
2002 Minter Cr. at Greene CR 165 18 F&W
Minter Creek: Minter Creek at MING-41a was a low-gradient, sandy-bottomed stream
located within the Fall Line Hills (65i) subecoregion (Appendix J). Habitat quality was
impaired by heavy sedimentation and unstable and eroding banks (Appendix J). Seven
EPT families were collected, indicating the macroinvertebrate community to be in fair
condition (Appendix K). Total dissolved solids, chlorides, and nutrient concentrations
(NH 3 -N, NO 2 +NO 3 -N, TP, DRP) were elevated (Appendix M).
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