U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Stream Habitat Improvement
Projects
Melanie Carter, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Partners for Fish & Wildlife (PFW)
Stream Team: Rose Agbalog, Chris Burcher,
Zack Edwards, Travis Goyette
Indian Creek Watershed Focal Area - Town of Cedar Bluff, Tazewell County
Focal Species – Tan Riffleshell and Purple Bean
GIS Prioritization Identified potential landowners based on locations of mussel populations,
augmentation sites, and potential habitat
Streambank Stabilization and Riparian Buffer Enhancement Residential lots and Town property along Indian Creek
Goal: 3 acres and 1000 ft by December 2016
Outreach Outreach and initiation of a Watershed group
Project Funding ($65,000) Cooperative agreements with UTRR
Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
Town of Cedar Bluff
Tennessee Valley Authority
UPPER CLINCH RIVER WATERSHED
Example
Project
Spr ing 2016
STREAMBANK
AND
RIPARIAN
BUFFER
Upper Clinch River Mainstem Focal Area - Town of Richlands and Tazewell, Tazewell County
Proximity to 1998 Spill location
14 federally listed fish and mussel species
Streambank Stabil ization, Stormwater BMPs, and Riparian Buf fer Enhancement Developed areas along Clinch River
Goal: 5 acres, 1 mile through 2018
Project Funding ($300,000) Upper Clinch VA DEQ/EPA 319 TMDL Implementation Plan (Sedimentation)
Cooperative Agreements with UTRR
Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
Town of Richlands
Town of Tazewell
Tennessee Valley Authority
Tazewell Soil and Water Conservation District
Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful
UPPER CLINCH RIVER WATERSHED
Example
Project :
R ich lands
Chr is t ian
Academy
Fal l 2016
C h a n n e l
M od i f i ca t i on ,
I n - S t r eam
H a b i ta t ,
S t r e a mb ank
S t a b i l i za t ion ,
S to r m D r a in
Ret r o f i t s ,
L e a r n i ng
L a n ds cape ,
R i p a r ian B u f f er
E n h a n c em e nt a n d
Wet l a n d ,
T i r e Re m ova l
STREAMBANK
AND RIPARIAN
BUFFER
Copper Creek and tributaries
26 federally listed mussels and fish, five with critical habitat
Focal Species – Yellowfin Madtom, Duskytail Darter, and Purple Bean
Focal Area – Lower Copper Creek
Copper Creek Team
Watershed partners hold biannual meetings to discuss status of
biological communities and water quality impacts; collaborate for
monitoring; and plan habitat restoration projects
Stream Restoration, Streambank Stabilization and Riparian
Buffer Enhancement
1 mile, 5 acre; 2015-2017
Ford/Stream Crossing Stabilization and Monitoring
3 projects with varying methods using in-stream rock vane structures
Annual monitoring to assess stability and effectiveness
COPPER CREEK WATERSHED
Spivey Mill Dam Monitoring and Assessment
Water quality, sediment and nutrient transport, discharge
Biological monitoring
Conceptual design for dam modification and stream restoration
Partners:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Tennessee Valley Authority
Conservation Fisheries, Inc.
Virginia Environmental Endowment
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Virginia Department of Forestry
Appalachian Sustainable Development
COPPER CREEK WATERSHED
Example
Project :
Project Map
LOWER
COPPER
CREEK
Example
Project :
Beecher Branch
Fal l 2015
Cascade Step -
Pool Channel
STREAM
RESTORATION
Example
Project :
Copper Creek
Ranch
Fal l 2015
Ford Crossing
Stabi l i zat ion
STREAM
RESTORATION
Example
Project :
Copper Creek
RM1.1
Fal l 2015
Meander Bend
Stabi l i zat ion
In -Stream
Habi tat
Enhancement
STREAMBANK
AND
RIPARIAN
BUFFER
Tributary Stream Restoration, Lee County Martin Creek
Priority Freshwater Aquatic Habitat Conservation Zone (The Nature Conservancy)
Downstream Powell River reach: 20 federally listed fish and mussels, 8 with critical habitat
Historical records of mussels
303d listed
Hardy and Wallen Creek
Goal: 5 acres, 1 mile through 2018
Biological Monitoring Assessment of current mussel and fish populations, habitat availability
Project Funding ($130,000) Cooperative agreements with UTRR
Virginia Ag BMP Program
Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
The Nature Conservancy
Daniel Boone Soil and Water District
NRCS Jonesville Service Center
POWELL RIVER WATERSHED
Example
Project :
Mar t in Creek
2017
Stream
Restorat ion,
Grade Contro l ,
R ipar ian
Buf fer,
L ivestock
Exc lus ion
STREAM
RESTORATION
