# Conservation Concerns



## Snakehead (Mar 2, 2012)

My family moved to middle Tennessee in 2000. I remember when I first visited the creek that runs through our 3.5 acre property. The water was waist deep, and the previous owners had left a rope swing hanging from a large tree. There were frogs, fish and crayfish. One summer we even brought poles down and managed to catch a few small perch. This spring is the first occasion in years that I've been home, and I've noticed the water level has receeded drastically, with the exception of heavy rainstorms. I have a suspicion that somone upstream has dammed the creek on thier property. Recently, I've noticed Isopods, Salamanders, tadpoles, and Leopard Frogs, all sharing the small pools of water that are left. 

I'm about to become an uncle in July. I'd like my nephew to one day be able to walk down to the creek and see frogs and minnows instead of driftwood and trash. Is there any organization I can talk to about getting our creek back to normal?


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

I would think a good start would be the TN Dept. of Conservation, or F&W or whatever it's called in TN. Another good option is the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as I believe they have jurisdication of waterways. The possible damming of the creek might be illegal.


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## Snakehead (Mar 2, 2012)

So far, I've contacted the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) and the Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC). I got a call back from TDEC just now, they said they'd check into it. Let's hope they do.

I'll continue to post updates on this situation if anyone cares.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Please do.

Jake


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

I'm interested.

Why is there trash? If you clean it up your nephew will get to see frogs and driftwood instead of the garbage


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## Snakehead (Mar 2, 2012)

thedude said:


> I'm interested.
> 
> Why is there trash? If you clean it up your nephew will get to see frogs and driftwood instead of the garbage


There isn't but there could be one day, is what I meant.


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

Is it possible that the creek may have redirected its flow to a new route?


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

Gotcha. It's also possible that there are now some natural obstructions like logs or woody debris. Happens on my property after a storm and usually results in either lower water or MUCH HIGHER.

Or maybe someone is using it to water their property. That happened with someone up here a few years ago...idiots didn't realize people would notice...


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## Snakehead (Mar 2, 2012)

After a conversation with my father, I've been informed that our creek is fed from a large cattle pond in a field on the other side of the highway. If this is the case, that means it must run through a few culverts which could be clogged with debris. Also, it seems that this system's purpose is to divert rainwater, which is obvious when viewing the geology of the area. I doubt anyone has diverted the flow into say, a garden, because everyones houses sit at a higher elevation, with backyards running downhill to the creek below.

I did take a walk down to the creek again today, and the tadpoles are getting bigger. I found a few dozen of them feeding on a dead earthworm, and they were noticeably larger than the rest. The salamander's are getting bigger too, and some more significant coloration. I might be looking at two species there, because some are speckled green and brown, while a few smaller ones are jet black. Only time will tell. I just hope they don't all get washed away in the string of thunderstorms were about to get.


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

Snakehead said:


> After a conversation with my father, I've been informed that our creek is fed from a large cattle pond in a field on the other side of the highway. If this is the case, that means it must run through a few culverts which could be clogged with debris. Also, it seems that this system's purpose is to divert rainwater, which is obvious when viewing the geology of the area. I doubt anyone has diverted the flow into say, a garden, because everyones houses sit at a higher elevation, with backyards running downhill to the creek below.
> 
> I did take a walk down to the creek again today, and the tadpoles are getting bigger. I found a few dozen of them feeding on a dead earthworm, and they were noticeably larger than the rest. The salamander's are getting bigger too, and some more significant coloration. I might be looking at two species there, because some are speckled green and brown, while a few smaller ones are jet black. Only time will tell. I just hope they don't all get washed away in the string of thunderstorms were about to get.


Chances are they will be fine, and have been breeding there for many generations. Amphibian populations fluctuate naturally. It's possible they have done better now that the fish are gone.


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## Snakehead (Mar 2, 2012)

Oh, everything seems fine now that it's been raining. I'm finding _Desmognathus_ every other day now.


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