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NRCS Dams Evaluated for Expansion
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DISCLAIMER:
This map and the accompanying spreadsheet are based on
an October 7th, 2009 meeting between TNC, USFWS,
GA DNR, and the Coosa River Basin Initiative.
The map evaluates proposed reservoir locations based on three
major parameters: proximity to listed species, proximity to protected
4
lands, and proximity to barriers to fish passage. The spreadsheet,
which should always accompany this map, provides details on the
location of the proposed reservoirs, proximity to listed species,
Forsyth
proximity to protected lands, proximity to existing barriers, as well as
Lake Sidney Lanier an overall site score and supporting documentation. This
Hall document is not intended to serve as an overall ranking or
justification of reservoirs in the Upper Coosa River. It is an
evaluation of potential threats by reservoirs to aquatic biodiversity,
their habitat, and existing protected lands.
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See attached spreadsheet for more detailed information.
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Biodiversity Impact of
Potential Reservoirs in the
Upper Coosa River Basin
DRAFT
DeKalb
Walton
Rockdale
October 2010
New_GIS_Data\TNC_Projects\Active\River_Projects\
Reservoirs\ReservoirsFINAL.mxd
Biodiversity Impact of Potential Reservoirs in the Upper Coosa River Basin
DRAFT
Potential Reservoir
Source
Stream Name
HUC10 Watershed
NWGRWP 1
Upper Coosa River
Allen Creek Estimated
Yield (MGD)
Federally Listed Species
State Listed Species
8.89
NWGRWP 4
North Prong Sumac River
Conasauga River (Upper)
Existing Fragmentation
Notes
Downstream: Tennessee Leafcup (0.2 mi), Tennessee Heelsplitter (2.3 mi in Spring Creek), Upstream: Broadleaf Sedge (0.1 Crawford/Pigeon WMA‐ .2 mile mi), Appalachian Filmy Fern (0.3 mi), upstream
Mtn. Cove Lake Dam‐ 5 miles upstream on a small tributary
Green Salamander‐ Pigeon Salamander
3 listed sp. present; Already critical habitat for a number of species and other species are likely to be added; Pump storage could impact Conasauga as well; Would rank a 1 if (1) it would impound public lands (setting bad precident) or (2) would pump water from the Conasauga mainstem
2
Downstream:Mountain Shiner and Greenbreast Darter (4.0 mi in Sumac Creek) Lies within Chattahoochee NF
Southern Lake Dam (1 mile downstream then 1.4 miles upstream on trib)
Downstream: Holiday Darter (1.2 miles)
Mill Creek
Although this site is in the headwaters, upstream of listed species locations, the potential for downstream impacts is very great. 1
Lies within Chattahoochee NF
2
Lies within Chattahoochee NF
Although this site is in the headwaters, upstream of listed species locations, the potential for downstream impacts is very great. Pumping from mainstem Conasauga=problem; Good habitat and restoration potential; Well surveyed; Would rank a 1 if (1) it would impound public lands (setting bad precident) or (2) would pump water from the Conasauga mainstem
Conasauga River (Middle)
Downsteam:Holiday Darter (4.5 miles)
10.16
NWGRWP 7
NWGRWP 8
NWGRWP 9
Holly Creek
Rock Creek
Barnes Creek Holly Creek
Holly Creek
Downstream:Blue Shiner (2 mi), 14.08 Southern Pigtoe (5 mi)
Downstream:Blue Shiner (1mile, 2.5miles), Finelined pocketbook 11.43 (3.7miles)
Mountaintown Creek
2.48 Downstream: Goldline darter (1mi)
NWGRWP 10
Davis Creek
Mountaintown Creek
NWGRWP 11
East Mountaintown Creek
Mountaintown Creek
Talona Creek/Fausett Creek
Site proposed within already protected lands (bad precedent)
Downstream:Greenbreast darter(3.4mi)
Lies within existing Chattahoochee NF
Headwaters; Several recent records of blue shiners in this stream. Burrhead shiner record is also signifcant
Holiday Darter (Downstream:1 mi. Upstream: 1.1 mi;1.6 miles in tributary) Coosawattee Crayfish above existing Hills Lake Dam
Four Mile Creek
Long Swamp Creek
NWGRWP 16
Long Swamp Creek
Long Swamp Creek
NWGRWP 17
Rock Creek
Sharp Mountain Creek
Salacoa Creek
Salacoa Creek
NWGRWP 20
Stamp Creek
Etowah River‐ Lake Allatoona NWGRWP 22
Little Armuchee Creek Little Armuchee Creek Chattahoochee NF (4 miles upstream)
NWGRWP 25
Richland Creek
Etowah River‐ Pettit Creek
Boston Creek
Etowah River‐ Lake Allatoona Downstream:Etowah Darter (2.9 mi in Long Swamp Creek) 3.59 Upstream:Cherokee Darter (0.9 mi)
Upstream: Etowah Darter (1.8 mi), Cherokee Darter (1.8 mi). Downstream: Cherokee darter(1.9 mi), Etowah Downstream: Bridled Darter(1.9 mi)
11.33 Darter (2.4 mi)
2
Mountain Creek WS Struct. #1 (2 miles upstream)
Wouldn't lose too much free flowing stream bc of existing impoundment upstream; Reservoir upstream‐ good mitigation site‐ reconnect 2
Harrison Lake Dam (.8 miles upstream then .5 mile upstream on trib), Long Swamp Creek WS Struct. #18 (2.6 miles upstream)
Etowah darter downstream; Priority one area under Etowah HCP; Habitat quality unknown; We can't afford to lose more Etowah darter habitat and an upstream dam could eliminate habitat for miles downstream depending on hydrologic and sediment transfer changes
Griffith Lake Dam (1.3? (2.5? ) miles upstream then .5 mile upstream on trib)
Etowah and Cherokee darter on site; Priority one area under Etowah HCP; Bridled darter is known downstream
1.01
Salacoa Creek WS Struct. #48 (1 mile upstream)
Upstream: Etowah Darter (1.3 miles), Mountain Shiner and Greenbreast Darter Cheokee Darter (0.16 and 1.3 miles), 4.06 Downstream: Etowah Darter (2.4 miles) Rock Darter (2.4 miles downstream) (2.4 miles downstream)
Upstream: Rock Darter, Burrhead Shiner (2 miles)
Upstream:Greenbreast Darter, Mountain Shiner (2 mi)
NRCS 2
Unknown trib to Ryle Creek
Etowah River (Pettit Creek)
11.5
Etowah River (Pettit Creek)
NRCS 5
Flat Branch
Ellijay River
9.6
Downstream:Goldline Darter (3 mi in Kells Creek)
NRCS 6
Rolston Creek
Cartecay River
8.6
Upstream:Goldline Darter ( reported in Anderson Creek)
NRCS 7
Ward Creek
Etowah River (Pettit Creek)
6.8
Downstream: Cherokee Darter (2 miles)
NRCS 8
Scarecorn Creek
Talking Rock Creek
Talking Rock Creek
24.3
Allatoona WMA (1.8 miles downstream), Lake Allatoona (3 miles downstream)
Downstream:Coosawattee Crayfish (2.9 mi in Kells Creek)
Hensley Lake Dam‐ .5 mile upstream on trib
Chattahoochee NF (2.1 miles upstream)
Downstream:Alabama Rainbow Mussel relict shells(2 mi)
Downstream:Beautiful Crayfish (1.9 mi), Bridled Darter 3.5 miles, Rock Greenbreast darter (3.5 miles)
Darter (3.5 miles)
4
Regional potential; Feeds into an important reach of the Etowah River. If it is planned as a pump storage, it could significantly impact the flow regime in the Etowah, especially since Etowah Water and Sewer pumps large quantities from the Etowah just upstream for treatment.
3
Degraded habitat; Potential Impacts to Etowah River
4
Regional water supply potential; Upstream reservoir already in permitting process; NWGRWP dam proposed for 2 miles upstream
4
Brewton and Bannister both have small existing dams; Brewton has lands under mitigation where darters are being relocated too; Should consider impacts to mainstem Etowah River flow regime (many listed species present near confluence of Etowah and Brewton); If quantity pumped from Etowah is low compared to normal baseline flow ranking could possibly be moved to a 4
3
Potential downstream impacts; Goldline Darter on Kell's Creek; Harrison Lake Dam proposed 1.4 miles downstream
4
Fragments 3 tribs; Good site to potentially remove dam for mitigation; Would reconnect habitat
3
Dellinger Lake (on Drum Creek)‐ .5 mile downstream then 1.2 miles Cherokee darters present; Subdivisions‐ Carters Grove, Governor's upstream from confluence/ Carnes Preserve
Lake Dam (on Pumpkinvine Creek)‐ 1.5 miles upstream
4
Talking Rock Creek WS Struct. #3 on a trib downstream
4
Yield small and located high in watershed
Jones Lake Dam (1 mile upstream), Score should be ranked higher if downstream flows are significantly 5 additional small dams further altered
upstream
in January of 2008 by Brown and Caldwell and MACTEC; the Inventory and Assessment of USDA/Soil and Water Conservation District Dams Finding Report Prepared
as well as DNR's Heritage Data (November 2007). Column's J and K represent notes and scores collected during an October 2009 meeting between TNC, DNR, USFWS, and
the Coosa River Basin Initiative.****
Reservoir Site Score Categories
1
Very High Impact
2
High Impact
3
Moderate Impact
4
Low Impact
Basic Description
Species Impacts
Habitat Impacts
Represents worse case scenario for biodiversity (Ex. Loss of federally listed species; Extreme flow alterations cause habitat changes in immediate watershed as well as the mainstem river)
Federally listed and/or State End. Sp. would be completely eliminated in that reach or as an entire species by the construction or enlargement of a reservoir
Pristine habitat would be inundated in the impounded reach as well as Compensatory mitigaiton not possible
impacted downstream from the reservoir
Mitigation
Although this alternative would not cause as State listed species could be completely eliminated; Fragmentation of species populations would occur but the reservoir Suitable habitat would be inundated in the impounded reach as well as Highest compensatory mitigation ratio required
impacted downstream from the reservoir
much damage as an avoid site it would have a would still allow adequate habitat to remain connected to support metapopulations; Cumulative impacts threaten tremendous negative impact on biodiversity expected species assemblage
Represents impacts to biodiversity that Cumulative impacts minimal compared to a #3 site; Species would be fragmented but expected species assemblage would Sufficient suitable habitat available that would remain unimpacted by a Mitigation ratio to be determined following alternative analyses reservoir to support expected species assemblage
require site by site evaluation; Habitat already survive
(regular procedure)
fragmented or otherwise impaired
Minimal additional suitable habitat would be inundated in the impounded reach
Represents best case scenario for biodiversity Species would likely not be further fragmented
(Ex. Existing NRCS Dam is enlarged)
***Categories were defined by representatives from TNC, GA DNR, USFWS, and theCoosa River Basin Initiative
October 2010
3
Portions already inundated; Least impact to Etowah biodiversity of all proposed locations
for the Georgia State Soil and Water Conservation Commission, NRCS, and EPD in December of 2007 by Schnabel Engineering South, LLC and Jordan Jones and Goulding;
Category
2
1
****Columns A through I in this spreadsheet represents facts collected from the Preliminary Water Supply Study Technical Morandum Prepared for the NWGRWP
Score
4
More than 40% of watershed is currently protected; IBI‐ High; Area is part of mussel restoration plan; One of the most pristine tribs of the Oostanaula Watershed
1
2.3
3
Berry College WMA (3 miles downstream)
Downstream: Cherokee darter (< 1 mile)
Etowah River (Settingdown Creek)
1
1
Upstream:Cherokee Darter (0.9 mi 4.1
above impoundment)
Brewton Creek
1
Etowah, Cherokee, and Shiner present‐ important darter populations. Recognized as Priority One under Etowah Habitat Conservation Plan; Very important genetically to Cherokee Darter; Lots of development pressure at this site
Downstream:Cherokee Darter (0.4 mile in Ryle Creek)
NRCS 4
2
PineLog WMA .2 mile downstream and .6 mile upstream. Lake Allatoona WMA downstream 1.7 mi
NRCS dam‐ proposed for expansion (2 miles downstream), Taylor Lake Dam (on a tributary 4 Pump storage in permitting process; Already fragmented by existing miles downstream)
dam
10 Cherokee Darter known from Stream
17.8
Trispot darter has lost a lot of spawning habitat in the Coosawattee due to tributary dams, they will actually spawn in empheral streams draining agricultural lands ; Smallest yield‐ 1.01 MGD; Habitat poor‐ cows in stream; Pump storage could impact main river
3 small dams on tribs pretty far upstream? Sallacoa Creek Watershed Dam #89(upstream 2.6 mi and 1.8 mi up Fuller Branch)
Threatened Southern Clubshell‐ only location in watershed
Southern Clubshell is known in Salacoa Creek near confluence with 11.67 Coosawattee
Etowah River (Upper)
Talking Rock Creek
Holiday darter likely present in reservoir footprint and Goldline darter likely present downstream; New dam on headwater trib
3.24 Downstream:Cherokee Darter(1.1 mi)
Black Mill Creek NRCS 9
Rainbow Lake Dam (4.5 miles upstream)
5 small dams upstream‐ Buhl Lake Dam, Dobbs Lake Dam, Sharps Mtn Creek WS Struct. #'s 27, 28, 31 (#31‐ 1 mile upstream, #28‐1.8 Cherokee darter present; Habitat quality nice; Will remain isolated from miles upstream)
impacts as Jasper develops
NRCS 1
Richland Creek
Will impact protected lands; Goldine darters downstream; Low yield for reservoir; Not much stream length to be lost Talking Rock Creek has a unique fish assemblage, because it is one of the few Blue Ridge tributaries in the Coosawattee that feeds into the Ridge and Valley portion of the Coosawattee River. As far as we know, it is the only tributary in the Coosawattee system that has a population of the State Endangered bridled darter (Percina kusha). It also contains the only tributary population of Goldine darters downstream of Carter's Lake Reservoir. This particular site is in the headwaters and located well upstream of known populations. However, this is a poorly surveyed creek system and additional studies are needed to evaluate impacts. 40 Downstream:Cherokee Darter (0.5 mi)
NRCS 3
Mountain Creek WS Struct. #2 (2 miles upstream)
Downsteam:Beautiful Crayfish (2.6 mi in Talona Creek)
Downstream: Greenbreast Darter (1 mi)
Upstream: Finelined Pocketbook (4.4 48.84 mi 1997)
2
2
Chattahoochee NF (1.2 miles upstream)
Salacoa Creek
NWGRWP 19
NWGRWP 29
1
Talking Rock Creek
NWGRWP 15
Pinhook Creek
Lies on or directly adjacent to TNC's Holly Creek Preserve/Chattahoochee NF
Holiday Darter, at proposed reservoir location and 1.8 mi downstream
12.48
NWGRWP 18
Conasauga Lake Dam (4+ miles upstream)
Greenbreast Darter (.5 mile upstream, 2 miles downstream)
2.12
2.07
NWGRWP 14
Downstream:Burrhead Shiner (2.5 miles), Lined Chub(2.7 mi), Trispot darter(3.7mi)
SITE SCORE
2
Conasauga River (Upper)
19.05
NWGRWP 6
Protected Lands
Conasauga River
5.28
NWGRWP 5
Special Concern Species
4