HRWA News 2005 - 2 - Harpeth River Watershed Association

Voices for the
the Harpeth
Issue No. 5, Fall 2005
“Working together to protect
and restore the Harpeth River”
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
DORENE BOLZE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MATT DOBSON, PRESIDENT
Aegis Group
DAVID LEMKE, VICE-PRESIDENT
Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis
PHIL PACE, TREASURER
The Conseco Group, Inc.
MARY WADE, SECRETARY
Wade & Egbert
PAM BOLEN
LINDA BREGGIN
Environmental Law Institute
JEFF CARR
Vanderbilt University
MIKE CORN
AquAeter
MARK DIETZE
Trillium Ventures, Inc.
JOSH MAY
Medley Global Advisors
STACEY WATSON
Stites & Harbison
HRWA STAFF
JOHN MCFADDEN
Director of Science and
Restoration Programs
2005 River Steward Awards
Honoring Outstanding Friends of the Harpeth
INDIVIDUAL:
Jennifer Stewart-Wright for her participation in numerous river restoration projects
last year and for representing HRWA at
community outreach and education events.
COMMUNITY GROUP:
Franklin First United Methodist Church
for the loads of trash hauled out of the
Harpeth on their Great Day of Service in
early May 2005.
DEVELOPER:
Trillium Ventures — Mark Dietze and
Paul Arnold — for commitment to incorporating the latest in development design
at Highlands at Ladd and going well
beyond current local and state requirements in order to protect stream health
and water quality of the Harpeth River.
RESTORATION AWARD:
Eagle Scout Kenny Snyder and his fellow
Boy Scouts for outstanding river restoration work accomplished in Brentwood on
the Little Harpeth River and in the Duck
River watershed.
ELECTED OFFICIAL:
Tom Miller, Mayor of Franklin, for his
leadership in the city’s commitment to the
preservation of historic open spaces that
are also important to securing the longterm health of the Harpeth River.
PAM DAVEE
Director of Development
and Policy Specialist
GWENDOLYN BLANTON
River Restoration Program Manager
and Environmental Specialist
JULIA HALFORD
Events and Membership Manager
www.harpethriver.org
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL:
Dave Bunt, Director of City Parks in
Brentwood, for his continued support of
restoration work and addressing erosion
along the Little Harpeth River from
Crockett Park through River Park to
Tower Park.
HRWA Executive Director Dorene Bolze
congratulates River Steward Award
recipient Tom Miller, Mayor of Franklin.
AGRICULTURE:
Phil Spicer and Grover Spicer for
managing the family farm in Dickson
County, specifically by continuing to
protect the streamside zone which helps
protect Turnbull Creek and maintain the
health of the Harpeth River.
VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE:
Hugh DuPree for his efforts over the last
10 years cleaning up the trash in the
Harpeth in downtown Franklin. 2
Who can help
the Harpeth?
You can. HRWA offers
RiverSmart tips and strategies
for homeowners, farmers,
developers, and policy makers.
All photos this page by Woodie Knight, KnightVision Photography
Harpeth River Hootenanny
A Big Success — Thanks to All!
John Hiatt
2
The Second Annual Harpeth
River Hootenanny was a huge success!
On September 17, close to 500 people
came to show their support for the
Harpeth River and to hear John Hiatt
sing under a tent illuminated by tiki
torches as the full moon rose over the
misty fields of Riverview Farm. A
very big thank you to John and Nancy
Hiatt and Orrin and Lee Ann Ingram
for hosting the Hootenanny and
contributing so much to its success!
John Hiatt’s generous donation
of his concert, support from sponsors,
an overwhelming response from the
public in ticket sales, and revenue
from the silent auction all created a
winning combination to raise $65,000
to help further the HRWA cause.
The Harpeth River Watershed
Association’s work continues to
restore streams; to work with landowners, developers, and farmers on
approaches to maintain streams and
water quality; to provide water quality
education in schools; to conduct field
studies; and to work on local planning
and state and local regulations that
protect rivers and the Harpeth.
A big Hootenanny Thank You
also goes out to our sponsors: Darrell
Waltrip Volvo as lead sponsor, as well
as to Trillium Ventures and Lipman
Brothers, Wade & Egbert Insurance
Partners, First Tennessee Bank, Wild
Oats Natural Marketplace, Fifth
Third Bank, Regions Bank, Parking
Management Company, Klatt Design,
Katcher Vaughn & Bailey, SunTrust
and Middle Tennessee Electric
Membership Corporation.
Hootenanny guests enjoyed a
delicious country buffet and had the
opportunity to bid on unique silent
auction items. The auction included
everything from a kayak and paintings
by local artists to gift certificates to
summer camps at Cheekwood and
Camp Whippoorwill. Paul and
Margaret Sloan’s Kelley Creek Cabin
Weekend Getaway as well as John
Hiatt’s signed and framed lyrics of
Have a Little Faith In Me sparked
bidding wars that helped the silent
auction alone raise almost $11,000!
Thank you for your support —
we could NOT have done it without
you! 2
Harpeth River Watershed Association
Woodie Knight
Brenda & Thomas King
Stephen & Sarah Heard
Tony & Kathy Trovato
Lori & Jerry Fitch
Jon & Nancy Schwartz
Amy Eubanks,
Anna Wilson,
& Brenda Oslin
www.harpethriver.org
Unless otherwise noted,
photos on this page are
by Steve Harman
© The Tennessean
3
Second Annual Harpeth River
Hootenanny Sponsorship
PRESENTING SPONSOR ~ $7500
Darrell Waltrip Volvo
RIVER G UARDIAN ~ $2500
Trillium Ventures
Lipman Brothers
RIVER PROTECTOR ~ $1500
Wade & Egbert
First Tennessee Bank
Fifth Third Bank
Wild Oats Market
Parking Management Group
FRIENDS OF THE RIVER ~ $500
Thank You!
CO-HOSTS:
Orrin and Lee Ann Ingram
John and Nancy Hiatt
SILENT AUCTION CHAIR:
Nancy Schwartz
SILENT AUCTION CO-CHAIR:
Linda Breggin
SunTrust Bank
DECORATIONS CHAIR:
Katcher Vaughn & Bailey
Heather Creel
Klatt Designs
Regions Bank
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
Rick French of French Christianson Patterson & Associates
AmSouth Bank
The Harpeth — it flows through our lives. We all live downstream.
The Harpeth and its tributaries drain 872 square miles. While much of it is still forested or agricultural, another third is one
of the fastest growing regions in the United States. We need your help to preserve and restore the ecological health of this
watershed. Please join the Harpeth River Watershed Association and get involved!
Yes, I want to support and join the efforts of others with the Harpeth River Watershed Association. Please send me the
Harpeth River color map and free TN river poster of my choice: small stream, stream, or river ecosystem.
Name: ______________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Phone: Day ___________________ Evening ______________________
Email: _____________________________________________________
Volunteer Interests:
River studies and restoration projects
Education projects
Special events/Recreation
Helping in the office
Other _____________________________
Sponsorship Levels:
Consider including the HRWA in your estate planning.
$25
$100*
Please send me more information about including HRWA in my will.
$35*
$250
$45*
$500
$50
$1000
Pay by credit card online at www.harpethriver.org
Other
* Donations of $35 or more receive a free HRWA t-shirt. The $45 family membership includes 2 T-shirts and a set
of TN river posters. Join at the $100 level and receive 2 T-shirts and a set of 10 Harpeth River notecards.
Please make checks payable to the Harpeth River Watershed Association and return this form and your
contribution to: Harpeth River Watershed Association, P.O. Box 1127, Franklin, TN 37065
For more information, call (615) 790-9767 or visit WWW.HARPETHRIVER.ORG.
The HRWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.
4
Harpeth River Watershed Association
Eagle Scout Leads Restoration Project
Mark Corrin’s Eagle Scout Project Treats 120 Feet of Eroded
Streambank at the Little Harpeth River in Brentwood’s River Park
By John McFadden
Director of Science and
Restoration Programs
On August 10, 11 and 12, 2005,
Mark Corrin, his father Mike, his
grandfather Ralph, and several Boy
Scouts from Troop 5 in Brentwood
carried out one of the largest river
restoration projects the Harpeth River
Watershed Association and the
Volunteer River Restoration Corps
have ever attempted. Under the
direction of HRWA staff and with
support from the Brentwood Parks
Department, Mark and crew treated
120 feet of streambank in the Little
Harpeth River in Brentwood’s River
Park utilizing cedar revetments.
On Wednesday, the boys, along
with Mark’s father and grandfather,
drove to John McFadden’s cedar farm
outside Lebanon to cut and roll cedar
trees in jute, as per Jen-Hill Construction Materials’ suggestions. The
trees being harvested were of lower
quality (less greenery) so cutting them
would make room for remaining trees
to fill in, thus improving the quality of
the remaining forest.
Once the trees were cut, the boys
rolled them in jute (material similar to
burlap) and loaded them on two trailers
for transport to the Brentwood site.
On Thursday morning, the boys
unloaded the 22 cedar rolls in River
Park and began the long process of
preparing the streambank for cedar
revetment installation. One crew began
driving duckbill anchors, another tied
wire to the lower anchors, another
repaired the cedar rolls damaged in
loading/unloading and transport, while
the last group dug river cane to place
behind the cedar rolls as they were
anchored. Driving the anchors was the
toughest part of the job, according to
many of the boys.
Once the first set of anchors was
set and wires tied, a new crew was
formed to begin the process of
installing the revetments. The cedar
www.harpethriver.org
rolls were placed against the bottom of the eroding streambank
and attached using the cable and
wire clamps. At the end, cedar
revetments covered and protected 120 feet of the streambank, in
some cases two cedar rolls high
(2-4 feet).Thanks to Mark and all
who helped out to make this
such a successful project:
Clayton Gwinn, Joe Wrenn,
Chris Alsup, Matt Alsup,
Sammy Alayli, Kevin Jack,
David Chege, Nathan Fleetwood,
Taylor Lowe, Ben Southard,
David Furtick, Taylor Adams,
Sammy Baker, Barbie Corrin,
Rachel Corrin, Mike Corrin,
Ralph Corrin, Ann Corrin,
Katie Alsup, Lisa Alsup,
Mike Cain, and Max Cain. 2
HRWA’s John McFadden and Field Assistant
Michael Cain work on the plan.
Boy Scouts prepare jute fabric to wrap around the cedar trees before the trees are
anchored to the streambank.
Voices for the
Harpeth
NEWSLETTER TEAM: DORIE BOLZE, JULIA HALFORD
NEWSLETTER LAYOUT: MARY CAPRIO, CAPRIO DESIGNWORKS,
MFCAPRIO@COMCAST.NET
CONTENTS © 2005 BY HARPETH RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION UNLESS OTHERWISE
NOTED. PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO COPY THESE ARTICLES PROVIDED THAT ORIGINAL SOURCE
IS CREDITED. VISIT HRWA ONLINE AT WWW.HARPETHRIVER.ORG. WEB MASTER: DON GREEN
Web Site Hosting by ISDN-NET
5
Harpeth River Watershed Association
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Plan Your
Paddling
Adventures
Thursday, March 2, 2006
7 p.m.
HRWA member and paddling
enthusiast Patty Shultz will offer
helpful pointers from her new
book, Paddling Around Nashville:
37 Kayaking and Canoeing Trips
in Middle Tennessee. This guide
is complete with maps, driving
directions, and clear descriptions of where to put in and take out. Sponsored by Harpeth
River Watershed Association and Nashville Metro Parks,
Shultz’s presentation will not only inform the audience but
motivate them to take the time to enjoy the aquatic natural
resources of the Nashville area. Light refreshments will be
served. Please call Julia Halford at 790-9767 or email
juliahalford@harpethriver.org to reserve your spot.
Order your copy of Paddling Around Nashville from
HRWA and half of the purchase price of $15.95 will be
donated to HRWA. Wouldn’t this guide be a nice gift for
someone on your holiday shopping list?
Including sales tax, each book costs $17.43. Add $3
shipping & handling for the first book and $1 for each
additional book sent to the same address. Send your order
to HRWA, PO Box 1127, Franklin, TN 37065.
Recent Events —
On October 16, Bob Brown, HRWA member and botany
enthusiast, led hikers on a two-mile loop in the Leiper’s Fork
area, from Copperas Creek over the
ridge to White Oak Creek, and down to
Kelley Creek.
In November, Dennis Horn and Tavia
Cathcart, editors of Wildflowers of
Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the
Southern Appalachians, provided a
fascinating slideshow session.
Stay Up-to-Date: Visit our website at www.harpethriver.org for details on upcoming events,
or e-mail juliahalford@harpethriver.org to sign up for our monthly e-mail newsletter.
VOLUNTEER RIVER
RESTORATION CORPS
2005/06 River Restoration Program
January 21, 2006
Reforestation Project
Spring Hill, TN (Jerry Erwin Park)
February 11, 2006
Streambank Stabilization
Brentwood, TN
March 11, 2006
Instream Tree Planting
Eagleville, TN
April 8, 2006
To Be Determined
May 6, 2006
Streambank Stabilization
Eagleville, TN
6
Ready to Get Your Feet Wet?
School groups, scouts, propertyowners, HRWA and Tennessee Scenic
River Association members, and other
river-lovers are joining the Volunter
River Restoration Corps (VRRC). It’s
a great way to give something back to
the rivers we all enjoy.
Joining the VRRC is a chance to get
out into the watershed, see problems
first-hand, and be part of the solution.
Everyone is welcome. Bring your shovels and buckets, your church group,
scout troop, classroom or neighborhood
organization, and come on out to the
river! We’ll show you what to do.
Call HRWA at (615) 790-9767 to
join any of the projects listed here.
Catch that Rain!
Here’s an easy way to protect
the Harpeth — use the water from
your roof to water your yard. The
average
household
uses HALF its
water on the
yard, so collecting water
in a rain barrel can significantly reduce
your need to
take precious
water from the
Harpeth or Cumberland in the summer when the water is low.
You can purchase a rain barrel
for $80 from the City of Franklin
(while supplies last). Contact Don
Green at (615) 550-6670 or by email
to dongr@franklin-gov.com.
Harpeth River Watershed Association
City of Franklin Considers More Drinking Water Withdrawals from Harpeth
How Much Water Does a River Need?
By Pam Davee
Director of Development
and Policy Specialist
When you look at a river, how do
you know it has enough water in it to
do what it is supposed to do during that
time of year? What is it even supposed
to do at various times of year? Well,
that depends. Why are we even asking?
Because these very questions need to be
answered right now for the Harpeth as
the City of Franklin contemplates more
water withdrawals from the river to
meet its growing drinking water needs.
Spring and Fall are Critical Times
Eastern Tennessee rivers like the
Harpeth, which get very low in the
summer, naturally have less water in
them during these months than during
others. It is part of the river’s natural
flow cycle. Low flow, as much as high
flow, provides cues for certain lifecycle
events such as spawning and egg hatching. During the high flow months the
river stores water in its banks and
recharges groundwater as well as allowing certain fish and other aquatic life
like mussels and snails sufficient depth,
habitat, and flow to reproduce.
In the low flow months the river is
more vulnerable to degradation because
the water depth is shallow. Thus, the
river is susceptible to higher temperatures especially if it does not have an
adequate riparian buffer (i.e. streambank trees and other vegetation) shading it from the sun. If the water temperature gets too high and too much sunlight shines on the shallow water, it can
cause too much algae to grow, which
can lead to low oxygen levels (a process
called eutrophication) and potentially
lead to fish kills. The warm water also
encourages bacterial growth, which is a
particular problem for urban rivers
which receive significant amounts of
stormwater runoff that is laden with
bacteria. The bacteria have a perfect
environment in which to multiply if the
river is experiencing its annual low flow.
Therefore, the summer and early
fall are critical times to keep enough
www.harpethriver.org
water in rivers like the Harpeth, especially when demands increase for water
for golf courses, lawns, pools and
agriculture not to mention for drinking.
This is the time of year when the chemistry of the river can be dramatically
altered by low flow, higher temperatures, increased runoff and sewage
treatment effluent (waste water).
Keeping adequate flow in a river and
calculating how much water can be
removed at any given time without
adversely altering the river system and
its natural functions and processes are
two important inter-related issues that
scientists have begun to study in
earnest in the past few years. The area
of study is called Instream Flow.
Talk Like
a River Expert
Instream Flow & River Health
According to the Instream Flow
Council (IFC), the concept of instream
flow is simple. It means the water flowing in a stream. Most streams have
some level of flow, but flow is no guarantee that all is well for the organisms
(including humans) that depend on the
river’s resources. At the dawn of civilization, instream flows were adequate
to sustain the full range of river
dependent organisms and processes.
But as civilization advanced, competing
uses by humans have altered, diminished and contaminated original riverine uses, according to the IFC’s 2002
book, Instream Flows for Riverine
Resource Stewardship.
River health can only be maintained by preserving the processes and
functions of the river ecosystem. The
IFC further explains that the structure
and function of river systems are based
on five river components:
biology,
water quality,
hydrology (river flow),
connectivity (the maintenance of
pathways for different biological
and other processes) and
geomorphology (the shape of the
surface of the earth).
Of or relating to the bottom of a body
of water. “Benthic species” (critters
like mussels, crayfish, and juvenile
stages of insects that live on the bottom of a lake or river) are the most
accurate indicator of aquatic health.
continued on next page
~ Lesson Two ~
WATERSHED
The area of land that drains into a
river. The Harpeth River watershed
stretches from Rutherford County to
the Harpeth River’s union with the
Cumberland River along the border
of Dickson and Cheatham Counties.
BENTHIC
DO (Dissolved Oxygen)
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is one of the
most important of the water quality
standards. If DO is too low, fish and
other aquatic life begin to suffocate.
The Harpeth mainstem (the main
branch) is impaired because DO falls
below standards during certain times
of the day in the warmer months.
Too much algae in the river (which
gives it a greenish color) can make
DO levels fluctuate widely during a
24-hour period. Algae are fed by
nutrients coming from fertilizer,
sewage plants, livestock, and other
sources of pollution.
FLASHY
A “flashy” stream gets lots of water
very quickly and may overflow
during rain. A “natural” stream
increases its flow much more
gradually and doesn’t reach
levels as high as a “flashy” stream.
continued on next page
7
HOW MUCH WATER...
continued from page 7
An evaluation of a river’s flow to
determine if an alteration of it will
negatively affect the system generally
examines all of these components.
The City of Franklin is currently
considering additional withdrawals
from the Harpeth for the drinking
water plant to partially meet the City’s
growth projections. Consequently, the
City hired a consulting firm, Consoer
Townsend Envirodyne (CTE), that
HRWA is working with closely to
examine critical low flow functions. It
cannot be assumed that further reduction in water levels during the low flow
season will not interfere with one of
these five river functions. Once it is
established whether or not the
Harpeth can accommodate further
withdrawals and at what time of year,
the City will be able to move forward
with its planning process to provide for
the future water needs of Franklin residents without degrading the Harpeth.
If the river cannot provide the needed
additional water in an environmentally
and economically sound manner, then
other alternatives will be explored,
such as additional purchases from the
Harpeth Valley Utility District that
provides drinking water from the
Cumberland River and already supplies the majority of the City’s water.
In the Harpeth during various
times of the year the river level pulses
so that during a single year and over
the course of several years the river
swells and contracts. This has an
impact on organisms in the river as
well as those in the riparian zone that
surrounds it. These riparian areas are
connected to other ecosystems and are
maintained by groundwater and flood
pulses. Part of a flow study would
include examining the river’s historic
flow levels (hydrology) by examining
US Geological Survey data. The
Please keep your eyes open for
HRWA’s End of the Year Appeal
where we will be sending our greetings
as well as our holiday wish list.
Thanks for all you do to support HRWA!
8
importance of the natural hydrograph
(graph showing the variation in flow
over time) to a stream has been
demonstrated by the outcomes from
water studies where activities altered
the variability of the flow and damaged
the ecological system. This tells us that
streams need to ebb and flow throughout the year to maintain a healthy
overall river system and not have their
variability removed by constant, nonvariable withdrawals.
Additionally, the current City of
Franklin study is examining the geomorphology of the river by looking in
the channels and banks of the river to
see how flow is shaping them with the
creation of riffles, pools and other features. One of the other aspects the scientists and engineers are examining is
what benthic macro-invertebrates
(water critters) and fish live in the
channels, riffles, and pools of the river.
This is the beginning of a biological
assessment that examines: What is the
composition of the biological communities? What species, aquatic and terrestrial, are likely to be affected by
changes in natural flow? Should particular species be targeted for protection
— like game fish or rare species?
And finally, to complete the
assessment of the Harpeth’s five riverine components, the study will look at
water quality with measurement of
water chemistry and physical and
biological properties of the water.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and levels of
alkalinity, nitrogen and pH reflect local
land use, geography and climate and
sources of organic matter and determine the river’s biological productivity.
Temperature is also an important
component because it affects all
forms of aquatic life.
What We Need to Know
Because the Harpeth is already not
meeting its designated uses in the mainstem (the main part of the river that
runs through downtown Franklin where
the additional withdrawals will have the
most impact), the City will have to
demonstrate that any water withdrawal
program does not degrade this section
of the river or it will not be permitted
by the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation
(TDEC). HRWA is not only working
TALK LIKE A RIVER EXPERT
continued from page 7
In Middle Tennessee, a major
cause of flashiness is development.
Asphalt and storm drains shunt rainwater into streams much more quickly than happened before development. The resulting fast flows scour
streambanks and cause flooding.
Spencer Creek, which drains the
Cool Springs area,
is now extremely “flashy.”
RIPARIAN ZONE
The vegetated area along
the streambank or riverbank.
RUNOFF
Water that comes off the land rather
than soaking into it. The more
rooftops, roads, and parking lots there
are, the more runoff, which translates
into flooding and pollution. 2
with the city, but with TDEC, other
agencies, and organizations on the
state’s instream flow and water withdrawal policies as more communities
around the state wrestle with how to
provide for expanding water needs.
Much data about the Harpeth
River has already been collected by
TDEC, the Tennessee Wildlife
Resource Agency (TWRA), the United
States Geological Survey (USGS) and
the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), all of which are working closely
with the City as the result of our efforts
in the assessment process. Existing data
has been examined and CTE is conducting the necessary field assessments
to fill in the gaps.
So, to answer the question of how
much water does a river need — the
answer is: just enough to do everything
it needs to do to function as a healthy
river system based on all of the ecological interactions required of it at that
time of year. It is seasonal. It is variable, and it is complicated, but the
answers are knowable based on what
has been learned in recent years. With
the work that the City is currently
doing to assess the Harpeth we can all
benefit from the latest in the study of
instream flow. 2
Harpeth River Watershed Association
Reading with an Ecological Theme
It didn’t make CNN,
but WE think it’s big news:
By Rachael Davee, HRWA Summer Intern
Recommended highly by HRWA staff, these books are great
reads with plenty of information about the natural world.
Guns, Germs, and Steel
By Jared Diamond
This Pulitzer Prize-winning author uses a biologist’s perspective to explain the way environmental factors and geography
shaped the modern world and gave rise to the diversity we
see between societies today. The theories are compelling,
and to have such a wealth of information read like a novel is
an enlightening treat.
Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
By Janisse Ray
This is a memoir of a girl growing up in great poverty in
South Georgia. Ray uses her skills as an anthropologist to
dig into the history of the longleaf pine and spins it in with
the history of her family. From the time she is a young girl,
she finds comfort in sitting in the branches of the trees
around the junkyard she calls home. The beautiful story
points out the often overlooked tragedy of the “daily erosion
of unique folkways as our native ecosystems and all their
inhabitants disappear.”
A Sand County Almanac
By Aldo Leopold
This book is unique because Leopold gives his experiences
for readers to learn from rather than trying to teach people
directly. Leopold sets the scene in Wisconsin on his farm,
and then proceeds to walk through the changing seasons of a
year. Not only does he have the keen eye of a naturalist who
sees the changes that otherwise go unnoticed, Leopold writes
his observations with poetic style. 2
BOY SCOUTS
RESCUE
RIVER BANK
Kenny Snyder and Boy
Scouts pounded stakes
into the bank of the
Little Harpeth River to
hold bundles of cedars
wrapped in burlap. This
work helps stabilize the
bank and rebuild eroded
streambanks.
www.harpethriver.org
New Species
of Snail Found
in the Harpeth
By John McFadden, Director of
Science and Restoration Projects
A new species of snail has been
found in the Harpeth River near
Hwy 100. Snails are a type of mollusk
known for their hard shells and rasping
tongues. The tongue of a snail, called
the radula, is covered with tiny teeth.
The new snail belongs to the biological family Pleuroceridae, but it is
less clear how to categorize it more
specifically than that into genus and
species. The unique dental formations on the radula and shell size are
the factors being used to classify the
differences between this snail and
species that have been previously
identified. Currently there are seven
identified species, all of them native to
the eastern US, but this species represents the first known endemic (i.e.
native) gastropod in the Harpeth.
In appearance the Harpeth’s
species is similar to the genus and
species Lithasia armigera but molecular
analysis has shown it’s more closely
related to the species Leptoxis. Until
the snail species can be neatly categorized through conclusive research, it
will be called “Lithasia” in quotes.
The Harpeth River is part of the
Cumberland River system, an area
widely known for its rich aquatic
diversity. With such an assortment it
is not surprising to find something so
unique in our river. However,
because this species is restricted to
such a short stretch of the river, it is
considered rare and measures should
be taken to protect it, as well as the
surrounding environment.
Information from: “A New Species of
‘Lithasia’ from the Harpeth River,
Tennessee, U.S.A.” in Zootaxa 1054:
31–42 (2005). Authors: Russell L. Minton,
Steven P. Saverese, Jr. , and David C.
Campbell. 2
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Did you know that...
the average household uses
300-350 gallons of water each day
the average household uses about
50% of that water on their lawns
You can have a profound impact
on the health of the Harpeth by how
you use water and manage your land
no matter where you live.
Review these tips from River
Network’s national RiverSmart campaign to see what you can do for the
Harpeth. You’ll find even more at our
web site: www.harpethriver.org.
Plant trees and shrubs along
your creek bank. Native vegetation provides wildlife habitat and
protects the creek from heat, fertilizer runoff, and erosion. Try to create a buffer of native vegetation a
minimum of 10-feet wide from the
creek edge.
Minimize fertilizer on your
lawn and don’t use it near
creeks. Excess fertilizer will wash
into the creek and cause algae
problems.
Install a rain barrel to catch
the rain off your roof and
water your lawn. See page 6 to
order one.
Take a walk in the rain to see
where your rainwater is
going. Look for ways to encourage
rain to soak in on your property,
such as landscaping a rain garden.
Repair leaky faucets and
install low-flow showerheads
and toilets.
Fix car leaks. Drips on pavement wash into creeks when
it rains.
Don’t put toxics in the trash,
down the drain, or down the
stormdrain. Dispose of chemicals, batteries, used oil, and paints
at designated sites. To locate sites,
contact your county, go to the
HRWA web site, or call TDEC
(1-800-287-9013) for Used Oil
Drop Off sites.
Water your lawn in the
morning or evening instead
of midday. During hot summer
days, significant amounts of water
are lost to evaporation.
What to do
in case
of a River
Emergency
If you see a fish kill of any size,
chemicals spilling into any
drainage way, or mud coming
off a construction site, report it
immediately to the TN Department of
Environmental Conservation:
Call 1-888-891-TDEC (8332)
24 hours a day
It takes quick action to gather the
information to determine the source
of the problem and to contain a pollution risk. TDEC and other state
agencies have a system to respond, so
don’t hesitate to call any time of day
and leave a message if it is after
hours. A quick response is vital to
effective law enforcement.
For mud running off construction sites, local governments have
regulations on erosion control and
stormwater runoff and will respond
first. Call:
City of Franklin, 791-3218
City of Brentwood, 371-0080
Williamson County, 790-5608
Davidson County (for Bellevue):
880-2420
City of Dickson 441-9506
Maintain septic systems.
Visually inspect the system each
year, and have it pumped out every
three years. Do not flush nonbiodegradable materials or anything toxic. Avoid caustic drain
cleaners — use boiling water or
a plumbing snake to unclog drains.
Outdoors, avoid planting anything
with deeper roots than grass over
the septic system. 2
RiverSmart is a national educational campaign of River Network, sponsored by
Swiss Re. For more RiverSmart tips, camera-ready print ads and television spots,
visit their website at www.rivernetwork.org.
10
Eyes on the
Harpeth
If possible, take a dated photograph,
jot down as much detail as possible,
and provide it to both TDEC, the local
government if appropriate, and to
HRWA so we can follow-up!
BE SAFE: Do NOT trespass and
do NOT get near any situation
involving a chemical spill.
Contact HRWA and send us
your information also:
phone 790-9767, fax 790-9897
P.O. Box 1127, Franklin, TN
37065, www.harpethriver.org.
Please cut this out and
hang it in a visible place!
Harpeth River Watershed Association
Thank You
HRWA
Donors
August 1, 2004September 30, 2005
Bold type indicates Stewardship
Council members, those who
have committed to donating
$250 and above for 3 years.
An asterisk ( ) preceding the
*
name indicates participation
in the Volunteer River
Restoration Corps (VRRC).
$10,000 and above
Carell, Jim
Corn, Michael & Cynthia
Davee, Pamela & Bob
Dixon, Janith & John
Fox Hollow Farms Assoc.
Grayken, Kate R. W.
Hiatt, John and Nancy
Hooker, Alice
Lawrence, Melinda & Jeffrey
Magli, Boyce
Markum, Lea and David
Miller, Andrew W.
Noel, John & Melinda
Welton
Red River Watershed Assoc.
Reynolds, J. Allen
Schwartz, Nancy & Jonathan
Sloan, Paul and Margaret
Trilllium Ventures, Inc.
TWRA 2004 Grant
Wills, II, Ridley
Wilson, Dave & Marty
Wise, Doug and Bet
Anonymous
Ingram, Orrin
National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation
Ozburn, F. Perry, Jr.
Southern Land Company
Vanguard Charitable
Endowment Program –
Joel and Holly Dobberpuhl
$5,000- $9,999
Achiever Development Corp
Atticus Trust
(Mr. and Mrs. Martin S.
Brown)
Ingram, John
ParkTrust Development, LLC
Stamps, Robert F.
$2,500-$4,999
*
Anonymous
Anonymous
Boyle Investment Company
Canale, Dan & Lori
Craig, Deborah & C.A.
Foundation
Dobson, Matt
Hart, H. Rodes
Horatio & Willie Buntin
Foundation (Alex
and Mary Wade)
May, Josh & Katherine
Greenebaum
McFadden, John Q.
McFadden, Miriam
Rawlings, George
REI
Tennessee Scenic Rivers
Association
$1,000 - $2,499
Andrews, Bill and Lin
Benson, Loiuse
Benson, Ralph
Blount, Steven & Elaine
Bolen, Bob and Pam
Bolze, Dorie & Claude
Carmichael
Bredesen, Governor Philip
& Andrea Conte
Breggin, Linda & Michael
Vandenbergh
Brockman, Mary and Hank
Bryan, John Jr.
Campbell, Mary & Stewart Jr.
www.harpethriver.org
$250-$499
$500-$999
*
ALCOA AFL DixieWire
Battle Ground Academy
Brown, Robert D.
Creel, Heather and Art
De Priest, William
Delvin, Cynthia
Dietze, Mark & Jill
Echols, Bryan
Ferrell, Craig & Lorraine
First United Methodist Church
Glaser, Robert & Helen
Foundation
Kriebel, Patricia and Robert
Legan, Harry and Robanne
Linton, Macrae & Kelly
Loventhal, Tom
McClain, Drs. Darrell & Kay
Miller, Jr., Andrew W.
Morgan, William & Lisa
Morrissey, Jonathan &
Kimberley
Owens, Debra and Arlo
Preston, Aubrey
Regions Bank
Shirling, Ginger
Silva, Ed
Swedeen, Jerry & Ruth
Turner, Laura
Wooten, Dick & Sidney
*
Akers, W. B.
Anderson, Paul W.
Andrews, N.A.C. and Jane
Bacon, Ernie and Nell
Bankemper, Joe & Beth
Barcus, Sam
Barkley, Bill and Becky
Bastian, Samuel
Bentz, Earl & Janet
Berg, Leo & Julie
Bolze, Marlene and Ray
Bowlin, Abby
Brandt, Bob
Braun, Ann
Burd, Paul Stephenson
Campbell, Lisa & John
Carr, Jeff and Ann
Cashia, Joseph
Cline, Louise
Crossman, Mary and Jim
Daniel, Rod & Marti
Dannenfelser, Chad & Kelly
Dearman, Timothy and Julie
Dillon, John H.
Doramus, Jim
Doubleday, Ben & Jo
Doyle, Corbette S. and
Tim Gaetano
Garden, Jr., George
Garrett, Freda & Jim
Harlan, Steve
Harlan, Susan
Harpeth Wetland Bank
Healy, Matthew & Colette
Hermann, John R.
Hunt, Charles W. Jr.
Ingram, David
Jabas, D, & A. Vincent
James, Susan
Jones, Mike & Leigh Ann
Jordan, Peter and Rudy
Kalil, Jilah T.
Knight, James
Lehew, Calvin
Lindsay, Carol
Lockwood, Richard
Magli, Cooper & Emily
Morrow, Jason & Lisa
Neal, Lanny
Nelson, Jeanie and Will Martin
Netherton, Cindy
Pace, Phil and Elizabeth Hand
Presley, Shannon
Provost, Chris
Read, Michael H.
Ricci, Liz
Robinson, Mrs. Walter M., Jr.
Seifert, Rachael
Sheller, Beth and J.R.
Snyder, Bill & Susan
Spencer, Ruth & Matt
Stern, Willy & Ann
Stewart-Wright, Jennifer
Taylor, Dean & Mary
Todd, Michael & Betsy
Walton, Mike
Wells, Amy and Tim
Williams, James & Patti
Zieman, Charles & Sharon
$100-$249
Adams, Jennie
Adlerz, Clifford & Kathleen
Allan, Susan and Harry
Allard, Gloria & David
Alvis, Jane
Anderson, Rogers C.
Anderson, Timothy & Tina
Andre, Denise
Andrews, Jane and Currie
Armstrong, Alexandra (Lexi)
Arnold, Donald & Judi
Ballard, Carol
Barrett, Lea and Donald
Barron, Jay & Leann
Bass, E. Warner
Bass, Melinda
Bauman, Deryl & Phyllis
Bazel, Cathey
Beauchamp, Charles
Bell, Holly
Bennett, Shannon and Mark
Blakely, Leslie & Randy
Bradfield, Arthur and Susan
Bransford White, Barbara
Braun, Martha and Stephen
Brothers, Betty
Brown, Martin & Cathy
Brown, Walt and Annette
Brownlee Currey Foundation
Bryan, John
Buckley, Jr., Albert
Buente, James S.
Burke, Charles M.
Burke, Dana
Burr, Ian & Wendy
Byrd, Andrew & Marianne
Byrd, Barney
Callicott, Duncan
Carmody, Sara
Carr, Ellen
Casse, Daniel and Leslie
Cate Jr., George H.
Chaput, Mary and Bob
Chase, Charles and Carole
Clark, Cherrie & Kevin
Clarke, Mary Helen
Coker, Wesley
Cole, Chase
Cone, Tom F.
Congregation Micah
Cox, Elbert T., Jr.
Crowell, James R.
Cruickshanks, Douglas
& Sondra
Currey, Brownlee Jr.
Currey, Patricia
Danner, John and Allison
Day, Roger
Deason, Charles & Joyce
Delvin, Andy
Delvin, Hank and Cindy
Dickerson, Betty & W.B.
continued on next page
11
HRWA FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 2004
This condensed financial information is derived from audited financial statements
prepared by McKerley and Noonan. Copies are available upon request.
I. Income and Expenses
(year ending 12/31/2004)
Note: percentages are approximate, but dollar amounts are exact.
Income Sources
Foundation Grants, 4.5%
Other, 0.5%
Contracts, 5.5%
Corp. Donations, 7.5%
Individual
Contributions,
36%
Special Events, 9%
TSRA Duck
River Opportunities
Project, 10%
Government Grants, 27%
Expenses
TOTAL:
$309,650
Expenditure by Program
as % of Program Expenses
Fundraising,
14%
Management, 6%
TSRA Duck
River
Opportunities
Project
Field Studies
& Watershed Assessment
Program,
80%
State
Conservation Policy
TOTAL:
$286,308
River
Restoration,
Watershed
Planning &
Implementation
Excess of Income over Expenses: $23,342
II. Balance Sheet
Assets
Cash—Savings and Checking
Grants receivable
Fixed—Furniture and Equipment
Less Depreciation
Total Assets
$56,246
$11,729
$11,254
($4,309)
$75,960
Liabilities
and Net Assets
Accounts Payable, Accrued Wages,
and Payroll Tax liability
Equity /Net Assets
Total Liability and Equity
$24,886
$51,074
$74,920
A portion of the cost to produce this piece was funded under an agreement with the
TN Department of Agriculture’s Nonpoint Source Program and the
US Environmental Protection Agency Assistance Agreement # C9994674-03-0.
12
Dirlam, John and Patricia
Duncan, Bruce & Sandy
Duvall, Daniel & Paula
Duvier, Joyce & H.A.
Ezell, Katherine & Steven
Fieldson, Jeffrey & Anna
Fitch, Lori and Jerry
Fox, David and Lisa
Fox, Elizabeth
George, Marjorie and Jon Petty
George, Rachel
Georgoff, Boris
Ghertner, Scott & Lynn
Gifford, Claudia & John
Goetz, Anne
Gorman, Susan & Walter
Griffith, Arthur Walker, Jr.
Hale, Douglas & Brenda
Hall, Carolyn Griffin & T. Hartley
Harley, Wade and Delores
Harris, Jean S.
Harris, Ruth
Harrison, Scott and Kathy
Harvey, Fredric
Hayes, Melissa & William III
Heard, Stephen K.
Heldman, Mamie Craig & John Russell
Henry, Douglas
Hindman, Skip
Huddleston, Richard
Huntley, Earl & Joan
Ingram, Preston & Elizabeth
Jett, Richard
Joiner, Jr., William and Mary Beth
Jones, Roger and Tina
Kaufman, D. R.
Kelley, Lori and Kenneth
Kelley, Stephen and Janda
Kennedy, Lee & Lynlee
King, Brenda
Kingston Constr. & Development
Knight, Kathryn and Woodie
Kreth, Tim and Joyce
Krueger, Frank & Victoria
Land Design, Inc.
Lang, James & Cecilia
Lea, Edward & Ann
Lebo, Laurie
Lehman, Jonathan & Ellen
Lequire, Alan
Ligon, Ronald S.
Linn, Harry and Alice
Market, Kathleen and David
Marshall, Tricia and Joel
Massey, Mrs. Jack
Massie, Ralph
May, Joseph
McAlister, Harry Hill
McClure, Ron
McCracken, Patricia
McDade, Cheryl & Mark
McGory, Susan and David
McGraw, Derek and Debra
McInnes, Betsy
McIntyre, Jr., Patrick
McKendrick, Janeth
McKerley, Michael
Harpeth River Watershed Association
*
McNulty, Nancy
McQuiddy, III., David L.
Meyer, Robert
Miller, Janet
Miller, Matt and Lee
Miller, Thomas & Lydia
Molteni, Philip
Monaghan, Kathleen
Moon, Gavin & Caitlin
Moon, Thomas W.
Moore, James & Penny
Murphy, Robert
Napier, Corey, and Robynne
Newbern, Judson
Newton, Julie
Nischan, Chris
Nixon, Howard & Mary
Nixon, Rodger & Shery
Noel, Andromedia
O’Neill, James
Oslin, Brenda
Otto, Barry and Cindy
Otto, James B.
Parker, Sarah
Parrish, Rob and Julie
Paslay, Barbara
Pearce, Mary & Harris
Penegar, Kenneth
Perdue, David & Bonnie
Pezzano, Joel
Poole, Kim & E.J.
Priest, John & Clara
Queener, Elizabeth
Quinn, Walt and Lori
Reed, Thomas
Reese, Andrew
Renkis, Laura and Dennis
Richmond, David & Jane
Ring, Robert and Charlene
Roberts, Delphine Sloan
Rodgers, Joe L.
Romer, Nicholas
Russell, Robert & Margaret
Sale, Anne & Richard
Sanders, Kathleen
Scott, Boyd and Cathy
Sheehan, Martha
Shuff, Ron
Smith, Joseph
Smith, Richard C. Jr.
Specialty Surgery Centers, Inc.
Spence, Carol and Danny
Stallings, Leslie & Glen
Vanderhart
Stevens, Burck and Jackie
Stocks, Debra
Talley, David & Sallie
Tanner, Bobo & Virginia
Teaff, Ann
Terry, Robert
Thomas, Al and Trish
Thompson, Tom and Paula
Tidwell, Clark and
Ann Dobson Tidwell
Tiffany, Harry IV
Tomlinson, W.L. & Elizabeth
Towers, Sandy
Trovato, Kathy and Tony
www.harpethriver.org
Tyson, Jack and Helen
Vandeventer, Jane
Wade, Gregory & Mary Jane
Wadzinski, Claudia
Wall, Kimberly & Howard
Warren, Mark Gavin
Wasielewski, Robert &
Shannon
White, Kevin and Brandiss
Wieckert, Karen &
Rogers P. Hall
Wiener, Mark & Barbara
Wilker, Marvin L.
Williams, Jeff and Kristy
Williams, Marcia E.
Wirtgen America, Inc.
Wise, Kathleen
Wise, Michael and Kathleen
Woodring, W.W.
Zinke, Bill and Brooke Ackerly
Bold type indicates Stewardship Council members, those who
have committed to donating $250 and above for 3 years.
An asterisk ( ) preceding the name indicates participation
*
in the Volunteer River Restoration Corps (VRRC).
Sims, Wilson Jr.
Stillings, Timothy
Tanner, Hugh C.
Thies, Tatum Hauck
Trabue, III, Charles C.
Walker, Joan
Warren, Jr., Stryker
Weaver, Gregory &
Paula Phelps-Weaver
Welton, Melinda
Williams, Melinda
Wilson, David & Elizabeth
Yost, William J.
$50-$99
Alford, Marceleen & Robert
Andrews, Victor and Suzanne
Bass, Mrs. Edie M.
Bethea, Sally Sierer
Bracken, Richard & Judith
Brown, Walter and Annette
Brunetti, Roxie and Don
Carmichael, Crom
Casada, Glen
Cataldo-Jaszcz, Judith
& John Jaszcz
Cheek, Kathryn B.
Clayton, Martin
Clements, Patricia
Doughty, Susan G.
Edelen, Dennis & Cheryl
Garvey, Cynthia
Green, Donald and
Amy Harshman-Green
Hadden Group, Inc.
Halford, Julia and Dan
Harshman, Joan
Harwell Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Robert
Hicks, Robert
Higgins, James & Candace
High, Deborah L.
Hood, Laura
Huffman, Janet B.
Jerry, Jane & George
Jones, Marsha & Dr. Phillip
Ladd, Alfred & Betty
Lassus, Joe
Layman, Debbie
Maclean, Nancy
Marstiller, Jean W.
McCaleb, Joe
McCaughna, Kathy
Mulder, Kevin & Angie
Parmer, Henry & Joan
Parr, Soraya Cates
Parsons, Jr., William
Powell, Dale
Ray, Lillian and Austin
Reichman, Sydney J.
Ridings, Jeffrey & Gena
Shaughnessy, Robert H.
$25-$49
Matthews, Kay & Richard
McCormick, Deborah
Tanenbaum
McCoy, Judith
McGavock, Iva
Moseley, William Darrell
Narusevicius, Angela
Norris, Jane
Ormes, Bill
Overby, Shannon
Peterson, Antoinette & Robert
Peterson, Lee & Dana
Reehl, Roger
Rieke, Louis
Roberts, Emily
Rohrbach, Cynthia
Rutherford, Anne
Rutledge, Chad E. L.
Schallert, Dave
& Katie Cunningham
Shankle, Steven and Mary Jo
Shultz, Patty
Silver, Lisa
Soltesz, Gary
Southeast W/S Forum
Southwick-Bush, Linda
Stewart, Helen
Stutz, Deborah C.
Sullivan, J. Stacey
Temple, Horace and Shelley
Trabue, Jr., Nelson & Elizabeth
Tygard, Charles Jr.
Vann, Kevin
Warren, Carol and
Dale Whitehead
Watson, Stacey
Whitehead, Ken and Delene
Willis, Eleanor L.
Wilson, Martha
Young, Ed 2
Agee, Mary & Kent
Ashworth, Richard
Atencio, Pedro
Aycock, Anna
Barker, April
Bell, W. F.
Bibb, Julian
Bice, Anita
Biggs, Dr.
Blanton, Gwendolyn Ella
Bonvissuto, Vincent and Linda
Brown, Dr. Gary H.
Bynum, James
Collie, Anne
Corrin, Mike and Barbie
Crutcher, Terri and Charles
Cummings, Patrick L.
D’Andrea, Peter & Joann
Davies, Richard Sr.
Diehl, Tim
Douty, Deborah
Draper, Karen & Paul
Dupree, Hugh
Eadie, Robert
Edgerton, Lynne Todd
Faccia, Kate
Garton, Donald
Gill, Hollis and Rose
Grisham, Brian
Gwyn, Catherine
Hall, Yvonne & Scott
Hancock, Arthur S.
Hanron, Margaret
Haugh, Ellen & Connor
Heller, Reva G.
Hester, Betsy & Preston
Irvin, Frank & Grace
Kirby, Colleen
Lamb, Ellissa
Laster, Debbie
“Working together to protect
Lebovitz, Paul & Ruth
and restore the Harpeth River”
Leeson, James Jr.
Lyle, Jack
Mahon, James
Martin, Joanne & Jacob
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For the Good of the River...
Duck River Opportunities Project Brings Together Businesses, Individuals, and Communities
By John McFadden
Director of Science and
Restoration Programs
The Duck River is home to some
54 freshwater mussel species, 151 fish
species and some 20 types of aquatic
snails — as such The Nature
Conservancy considers the Duck River
one of the most biologically diverse, if
not the most biologically diverse, freshwater river systems in the world.
Duck River Opportunities Project
(DROP) actively works with landowners, educators, communities, agencies
and volunteers to improve water quality
in the Duck River watershed and to
provide active involvement opportunities for citizens that promote long-term
watershed health. Here are some of the
projects implemented during 2005:
World Water Monitoring Day
In the fall of 2005, The Farm
School, with support from the
Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation’s TP3 Green Schools
Program (Cynthia Rohrbach, coordinator) and the Duck River Opportunities
Project, supported by GM-Spring Hill,
participated in World Water
Monitoring Day. Twelve students
accompanied by five adults sampled
two sites on Swan Creek in Lewis
County, near Hohenwald. Sites were
sampled for chemical, physical and biological characteristics. Biological sampling included collecting aquatic
insects, in an effort to determine the
health of the river system. Sites scored
in the good to excellent range; this was
consistent with data previously collected by professional biologists and volunteers. Swan Creek is one of the highest
quality tributaries in the globally significant Duck River watershed.
Our volunteer data is important
because it helps resource managers
determine if streams are being harmed.
While less sensitive than data collected
Special Thanks to
Contributing Organizations
August 1, 2004-September 30, 2005
Achiever Development Corp.
AMEC Earth and Environmental
Aquaeter
Barbequool – Barry Shuffit
Brentwood Parks Department
Center for Watershed Protection
Chestnut Group
City of Brentwood
City of Franklin
City of Thompson’s Station
Community Foundation of Middle TN
Cumberland Region Tomorrow
Cumberland River Compact
Environmental Mgmnt & Engineering,Inc.
Environmental Protection Agency
Franklin Tomorrow
GroWild, Inc.
The Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson Co.
ISDN-NET
Jen-Hill Construction
The Land Trust for Tennessee
Little Critters
Metro Nashville and Davidson County —
Parks & Recreation, Planning
14
Commission, Metro Water
Services Stormwater Program
Nashville Natives
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Nature Conservancy
One Source, Inc.
Rawlings Foundation
Red River Watershed Association
River Network
Southern Environmental Law Center
Stites and Harbison
The Tennessean
Tennessee Clean Water Network
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Nonpoint Source Program
Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Tennessee Environmental Council
Tennessee Widlife Resources Agency
US Geological Survey
US Fish and Wildlife Service
University of Tennessee Center for
Decentralized Wastewater Management
Williamson County Government
World Wildlife Fund
by professionals, our data does help
inform staff at natural resource
agencies and can be utilized to direct
change in land management strategies.
Education: Teaching Students
to Value the River
Mike Cain (HRWA/TSRA) and
Dave Pelren (TSRA & US Fish &
Wildlife Service) participated in the
first Shelbyville Duck River Education
Day. The event was held along the Duck
River and included several watershed
and water quality education stations
where 500+ fifth-graders from Shelbyville and Bedford County spent time
learning about the Duck River’s
ecology and many mussel species.
At one station there was a tank full
of mussels in muddy water — by the
day’s end, students could see the
mussels had filtered the mud out of the
water. Just one of a myriad of benefits
associated with the great diversity of
aquatic life!
Restoration Work
DROP installed cedar revetments in
addition to streambank plantings in Jerry
Erwin Park along McCutcheon Creek.
Revetments, which stop streambank
erosion, were installed by volunteers:
Randal Branch (from the Stones River
Watershed Association), Max Cain, and
Lloyd and Matt Jaeger. Thanks!
Mobilizing Additional Support
Program staff member Marty
Marina continues to talk to agency folks
and citizens about the possibility of a
Duck River Watershed Association
and is getting much support for this.
Project staff are beginning to look for
the resources to move this forward.
This project is funded in part by Saturn
Corporation, Tennessee Wildlife
Resources Agency, under an agreement
with the Tennessee Department of
Agriculture, Nonpoint Source Program
and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Assistance Agreement
#C3334674-03-0, the Tennessee
Environmental Endowment, and
The World Wildlife Fund. 2
Harpeth River Watershed Association
Government Grants and Specific Project Contracts
Funds received from Aug. 2004-Sept. 2005 unless otherwise noted.
TN Department of Agriculture
Nonpoint Source Program
$300,000 three-year grant that started
in Fall 2003 for watershed restoration,
planning and outreach. Focus areas
are in the headwaters in Eagleville,
West Harpeth, and Little Harpeth.
$137,700 remaining in the grant.
Environmental Protection
Agency, Region IV
$200,000 three-year grant started at
the end of 2004 to integrate watershed oriented planning into local ordinances to help meet water quality and
drinking water goals. Pilot subwatershed is Five Mile Creek, which is in
the Goose Creek I-65 corridor area
south of Franklin, Williamson County.
$154,212 remaining in the grant.
TN Department of
Transportation
Completed project begun in summer
of 2003 to contact landowners and
identify potential restoration projects
in the Turnbull Creek watershed for
River
Restoration
Volunteers
Thank
You for
Getting
Your
Feet
Wet!
www.harpethriver.org
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Anderson, Christopher
Barberic, Chris
Boone, Dan
Boy Scout Troop 444
Braisted, Sean
Brandmeir, Seannalyn
Fuller, Val
Hartley, Brittany
Haynes, Brevard
Heffron, Brian
Huskey, Mariah
Jaeger, Kevin
Jaeger, Lloyd
Johnson, Dawn
Moody, Gary
Pate, Addison
Qualk, James
Simpkins, Kala
Snyder, Cate
Snyder, Ed
Snyder, Kenny
Spencer, Marshall
Thomsen, John
Wilczek, Melissa
Supplemental Environmental Funds.
Contract through Environmental
Management and Engineering, Inc.
$23,850.
Achiever Development
Corporation
Conducted field study of water quality
with the Green Springs development
in Fairview. Completed Phase I,
pre-development conditions in 2005.
$5,412.
City of Brentwood
Parks Department
Developed a restoration plan and
began to implement projects along the
Little Harpeth in the city parks. $6993.
Red River Watershed
Association
Contract to provide training on
Volunteer Stream Assessment protocol
and conduct quality control/assessment. Funds from TN Department of
Agriculture Nonpoint Source Program
grant to RRWA. $1440.
As part of the Environmental Protection
Agency grant, in September HRWA staff
met with Don Green (City of Franklin
Stormwater Program) and Regina
Wilder (Williamson County Stormwater
Program) to evaluate potential restoration sites within the Five Mile Creek
Watershed, located south of Franklin in
Williamson County. HWRA is working
with the City, County, developers and
local landowners to identify sources of
water quality impairment then design
and implement restoration efforts.
RiverSmart Festival 2005
Water, Critters, Kids, and More!
Interested in
having a
RiverSmart
festival in
your area?
Contact
HRWA for an
information
packet to
help you get
started.
HRWA Board President Matt Dobson (left) and Director of Science and Restoration
Programs John McFadden helping festival guests learn about benthic bugs.
15
Look Inside
& Take Action:
Congratulate the winners of the
2005 River Steward Awards—Their
efforts are making a big difference
in the health of the Harpeth! (pg. 1)
Check out the Hootenanny photos—
As you can see, a good time was had
by all, and the event raised $65,000
to support HRWA’s mission. (pg. 2)
Sign on—Join HRWA today or
renew your membership. Your
support is critical! (pg. 4)
Follow Eagle Scout Mark Corrin’s
example and help restore our riverbanks—With the help of family and
friends from the Boy Scouts, Mark’s
project treated over 120 feet of
eroded streambank. (pg. 5)
Get involved—Enjoy an upcoming
learning session or join a project
being done by the Volunteer River
Restoration Corps (pg. 6).
Learn from the experts—Find out
about Instream Flow and how its
measurement aids in watershed
policy-setting. (pg. 7)
See how HRWA leverages your
contributions —The 2004 financial
report shows where the money
comes from and how it’s spent to
protect the Harpeth. (pg. 12)
HRWA Staff: Leading the Way
LEFT TO RIGHT:
DORENE BOLZE — Executive Director
PAM DAVEE — Director of Development and Policy Specialist
JULIA HALFORD — Events and Membership Manager
JOHN MCFADDEN — Director of Science and Restoration Programs
GWEN BLANTON — River Restoration Program Manager & Environmental Specialist
The Nashville region is one of the fastest growing areas of the country, but
there is hope for the longterm health of the Harpeth River when so many
people care about its creeks, streams, hollows, and valleys. We witnessed this
outpouring of concern and willingness to learn how to better care for our river
at the RiverSmart Festival in May and at the Hootenanny in September. We
honored the outstanding efforts of individuals, political leaders, developers, and
volunteers with our 2005 Harpeth River Steward Awards. It takes a community
effort to become “RiverSmart” in each of the six counties of the watershed.
Many thanks to all of you that support our efforts to be that catalyst on behalf
of the Harpeth. — DORENE BOLZE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PRSRT STD
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HARPETH RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 1127
FRANKLIN, TN 37065
WWW.HARPETHRIVER.ORG
Check out our website for past issues
of the newsletter and a wealth of
river-friendly resources
for home and garden.