TVA participates in collaborative effort to protect Alabama’s most diverse watershed

Nestled between forested mountains in northern Alabama is Paint Rock River, a tributary to the Tennessee River. Despite its small size, Paint Rock is home to 98 fish species and 59 mussel species, 12 of which are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

TVA has partnered with federal and state agencies, private landowners, and non-government organizations to restore Paint Rock River’s riparian zone, which includes the lands adjacent to the river. The restoration’s aim is to improve the watershed’s water quality.

This project started with stream bank stabilization efforts. The stabilization process began by flattening an eroded stream edge. Then, matting was placed on the newly formed slope. Vegetation was planted in the final step. When the vegetation and trees get established, their roots will grow through the bank to prevent erosion. Eroded soil can smother fish and cut off light to underwater plants.

The plants and trees outside of a stream in the riparian zone serve critical roles in the health of the stream. Towering trees and shrubs provide shade with their leaves, which cools the water and allows it to hold more oxygen. When leaves, branches and downed trees fall into the water, they provide shelter and food for fish and other aquatic life.

One previous endeavor in 2021 restored over 350 linear feet of stream bank along the Paint Rock River. To date, 1,050 linear feet have been restored, and two upcoming projects are scheduled to restore an additional 1,000 linear feet.

As part of the restoration effort, TVA also monitors fish communities in the river and shares the information with The Nature Conservancy and other conservation partners. By observing fish populations, the partners can identify water quality issues and track improvements.

Shannon O’Quinn, senior water resource specialist at TVA, notes that Paint Rock is already a healthy watershed, and monitoring it will help us protect it.

Paint Rock River is special in many ways. Two mussel species, the pale lilliput and the Alabama lampmussel, are found nowhere else in the world. As filter feeders, freshwater mussels help keep streams and rivers clean from pollution.

According to Alana Reynolds, watershed coordinator for the freshwater program at The Nature Conservancy in Alabama, the river’s location in a small, northeast corner of Alabama has more aquatic species than the entire state of California.

During conservation projects, TVA and its partners teach landowners about stream ecology and federal incentive programs. According to O’Quinn, good management practices help farmers prevent their property from being erod- ed away and it helps aquatic life by preventing sediment from making it to the stream.

Another aspect of improving aquatic habitat is removing aquatic barriers, so aquatic life can move freely up and down the stream. TVA worked with the U.S. Fish and Water Wildlife Services and the Nature Conservancy in Jackson County to replace Estill Fork Bridge, a low water bridge. The bridge was a barrier to aquatic life, and because it tended to flood, it was a safety issue for residents in the local community. The replacement is a single span bridge that allows for fish and people to travel freely.

According to Reynolds, the work that has been completed in the Paint Rock watershed has been so successful that the Nature Conservancy is using it as a model to complete conservation work in other priority watersheds within the state of Alabama.