Surface Water - Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Mulberry Fork (0316-0109)
Sub-Watershed: Eightmile Creek NRCS Sub-Watershed Number 040
Landuse: The Eightmile Creek sub-watershed drains approximately 43 mi 2 in Cullman and
Morgan Counties. Forest, pasture, and urban areas comprised 85% of the sub-watershed.
A total of 7 current construction/stormwater authorizations, NPDES permits, and CAFO
registrations have been issued in the sub-watershed (Appendix B). A 23.0 mile segment of
Eightmile Creek is impaired by ammonia, organic enrichment/dissolved oxygen, and
pathogens originating from pasture grazing and urban runoff (Appendix C-2). TMDLs for
two of these pollutants (ammonia and organic enrichment/dissolved oxygen) have been
approved by EPA (Appendix C-1). The stream is also affected by withdrawals for water
supply and discharges of treated wastewater.
Percent land cover estimated by local SWCD (Appendix A, ASWCC 1998)
Forest Row crop Pasture Mining Urban Open Water Other
40% 6% 35% 0% 10% 4% 6%
NPS impairment potential: Based on local SWCD information, the main NPS concerns
within the sub-watershed were poultry production and runoff from pasture, crop, and
forestry areas (Appendix D). Eightmile Creek was identified as a NPS priority subwatershed
in 1997 (ADEM 1999a) and was given a 4 th priority sub-watershed rating in
1998 by the SWCD. Resource concerns are listed in Appendix I.
Ratings for each NPS category based on values estimated during the SWCD sub-watershed assessment.
Category
Overall
Potential
Animal
husbandry
Aquaculture
Row
crop
Pasture Mining Forestry Sediment
Value 19 3.79 AU/ac 0.00% 6% 35% 0% 38% 2.6 tons/ac/yr
NPS Potential H H L M M L M L
Appendix D H H A A A I I
Assessments: ADEM assessed the aquatic macroinvertebrate and fish communities at one
location on Eightmile Creek (Appendix F). GSA has assessed a second location on
Eightmile Creek (Appendix E).
Assessment stations located within the sub-watershed. Descriptions are provided in Appendix E-1.
Station Assessment Type Date Location Area
(mi 2 )
EMIC-73a
GSAMF-39 a
GSAMF-56 b
Chemical, Habitat,
Biological
Chemical, Habitat,
Biological
Classification
2002 Eightmile Cr. at Mount View 12 PWS
2000 Eightmile Cr. at confluence with
Brindley Cr.
36 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)
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