North America's Amazon: The Waterways of Southern Appalachia

In the last blog we discussed the ins and outs of stormwater and stormwater management. Specifically, we looked at how they relate to water pollution and flooding. Today, we’ll take a look at the waterways in our own backyard, why it’s important to protect them, and actions you can take at home to help. 

Hidden Diversity of Southern Appalachian Aquatic Ecosystems

Image from Conservation Fisheries, Inc. of the Redline darter.

The rivers and streams of the Southeast and Southern Appalachian region are North America’s most biologically diverse waters. The Southeast is home to more than 490 species of fish, with ~ 300 fish species found in Southern Appalachian waters alone. In fact, the top 4 states for diversity of fish species are here in the Southeast, and they are Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, & Kentucky. 

There are many factors that contribute to this biodiversity, including the sheer amount of water here - the Southeast is home to several river basins that drain to the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. Actually, the Mobile River Basin in Alabama is the largest inland delta system in the US, second only to the Mississippi in how much water it drains into the gulf. Also, the Appalachians are 260 million years old, and they’ve never been glaciated nor inundated with oceans during all that time, giving evolution a long, uninterrupted period in which to work. 

Image from the Northern Gulf Institute of the Mobile River basin.

In addition to the incredible diversity of fish species here, the Southern Appalachian region is home to 8.2 million acres of migratory habitat for neotropical birds, more salamander species than any other place on earth, and 33,000 miles of wild trout streams, just to name a few. 

However, these aquatic ecosystems are at risk of great biodiversity loss due to environmental hazards that include water pollution, impacts from development and industry, and dam construction. Dams break rivers into intermittent chains of reservoirs, blocking animal movement and migration and preventing species from naturally repopulating streams where they have died out. Dam construction also breaks waterways down into smaller tributaries, which are then more prone to negative environmental impacts. The Tennessee River Basin is home to numerous dams, including the Tellico Dam, which jeopardized the snail darter - one of the first species federally listed as endangered. 

Eastern hellbender by US Department of Agriculture.

Additionally, sedimentation and pollution from industry, development, agriculture, and urbanization bring everyday impacts to many of these waters. These activities can lead to streambed siltation, which fills in the cracks and pockets in between rocks that naturally line streambeds, causing habitat destruction for species that live in these crevices. The hellbender salamander is one such species that has lost most of its historic habitat. 

Many of these risks, however, were noticed decades ago and since then many governments, scientists, and non-profit organizations have made an effort to not only limit pollution from entering our waterways but also to conserve and reintroduce some of our at-risk species, such as lake sturgeon. Conservation Fisheries, Inc. is an organization here in Knoxville that is dedicated to breeding, raising, and reintroducing threatened and endangered fishes. The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga also has an offshoot called the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, which is dedicated to preserving the Southeast’s aquatic diversity. Visit their websites to learn more about their efforts and the great species diversity we have here at home. 

While the waterways in the Southeast have been improving over the last 10 to 15 years thanks to the efforts of these incredible organizations, there is still a long way to go and scientists keep finding new species. Anna George, from the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, says “the hardest part of protecting southeastern biodiversity is simply just a lack of awareness that what we have is so special.” So be sure to share this information with your family and friends and support the industries working to protect this incredible biodiversity. 

Lake Sturgeon being raised for reintroduction at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute.

Knox County Water Pollution

In addition to supporting conservation efforts here at home, there are steps you can take to limit your impact on our aquatic ecosystems. Some of the biggest pollutants that end up in our waterways here in Knoxville are E. coli, microplastics, sediment, and nutrients. From a study done on the microplastics found in the Tennessee River, the researchers were able to determine that most of the plastic found was likely from littered plastic, as the plastic had the same composition as grocery bags. 

Disease-causing bacteria, like E. coli, are a major source of water pollution here in Knox County. Pathogens, like E. coli, often come from animal waste, like dog poop and farm animal waste that’s been washed off into nearby streams. It also comes from leaky sewage systems and septic tanks. Similarly, sedimentation often comes from construction sites, but can also happen when stream banks are developed or changed and from streambank erosion. And nutrients come from fertilizers, pesticides, and soaps that can runoff from lawns and agricultural lands. 

Many measures have already been put in place by Knoxville and Knox County to prevent large-scale sedimentation and water pollution from occurring, and the Soil Conservation District works with farmers here to help save their soil and prevent agricultural runoff from impacting our waterways. We still have a long way to go, but there are steps that you can take at home to help, too!

HowYou Can Help

You can probably guess a couple of these measures based on the types and sources of pollution we have here, but here’s a handy list you can come back to whenever you need a refresher!

Knox County Stormwater Storm Water Style Off 2017 winner located at the Bearden Branch Library.

Never put anything or wash anything down a storm drain. You might think our storm drains go to a water treatment plant, but the reality is that our stormwater infrastructure goes directly to our creeks and streams, which means any chemicals, waste, or litter that ends up in our storm drains, ends up in our streams. 

Scoop the poop! If you have a dog or other outdoor pet, always scoop up their poop from your backyard or when out on walks to prevent it from being washed down to a nearby stream or storm drain. Also, if you have a septic tank, make sure it’s regularly maintained and checked for leaks.

Throw out all your garbage and pick up litter you see, either on your own in your neighborhood or come to one of our monthly litter cleanups!

Never fertilize before it rains and make sure that when you fertilize your lawn to keep the fertilizer on your lawn - both of these can result in fertilizer simply running off your lawn and down a nearby storm drain. 

Don’t blow leaves into the street as it damages and clogs storm drains. You can mulch or compost your leaves or just leave them on your lawn to act as a fertilizer for next year!

Wash your car on your lawn. If you typically wash your car or other large items at home, try washing it on your lawn or where it will drain to a grassy area, so that the soapy water can infiltrate into the ground instead of being transported to a nearby waterway through a storm drain. 

Clean up spills the dry way. Don’t clean up a spill by hosing it down (as this can end up in a storm drain) - use a dry method, like kitty litter, which can be scooped up and thrown away.