Surface Water - Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Mulberry Fork (0316-0109)
Sub-Watershed: Broglen River NRCS Sub-Watershed Number 050
Landuse: The Broglen River sub-watershed drains approximately 45 mi 2 in Cullman
County. Land cover was dominated by forest and pasture land. A total of 23 current
construction/stormwater authorizations and NPDES permits have been issued in the subwatershed
(Appendix B). The TMDL for a 12.0 mile segment of Broglen River impaired
by pathogens from urban and agricultural sources has been approved by EPA (Appendix
C-1). A 18.4 mile segment of Mulberry Fork is listed for not meeting its “Fish and
Wildlife” water use classification due to impairments from siltation and other habitat
alteration (Appendix C-2).
Percent land cover estimated by local SWCD (Appendix A, ASWCC 1998)
Forest Row crop Pasture Mining Urban Open Water Other
39% 9% 31% 0% 14% 1% 6%
NPS impairment potential: NPS concerns within the sub-watershed included poultry
production, runoff from crop and pastureland, and forestry (Appendix D). The city of
Cullman is located within the Broglen River sub-watershed, making impairment from
urban runoff and development a concern.
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 12 2.70 Au/ac 0.00% 9% 31% 0% 37% 1.4 tons/ac/yr
NPS Potential M H L M M L M L
Appendix D H H A A A I I
Assessments: An assessment was not conducted within the sub-watershed during the 2002
NPS screening assessment. Broglen River has been monitored in conjunction with
ADEM’s Ambient Monitoring Program (Appendix E, Appendix R). GSA has conducted
fish IBI assessments at locations on Broglen River and Mulberry Fork (Appendix E,
Shepard et al. 2001, Shepard et al. 2002).
Assessment stations located within the sub-watershed. Descriptions are provided in Appendix E-1.
Station Assessment Type Date Location Area
(mi 2 )
Classification
BR-1
GSAMF-38 a
GSAMF-55 b
GSAMF-37 a
GSAMF-54 b
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
Habitat,
Biological,
Chemical
1974-
2002
2000
Broglen R. at AL Hwy 91 108 F&W
2000 Mulberry Fork at Blount CR 10 330 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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