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U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1214, 60 pages (Published August 2005) ONLINE ONLY
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Rockdale County Department of Water Resources assessed the ecological conditions in selected stream reaches during 2003 as part of the county's ongoing long-term, water-quality monitoring program. These assessments included characterization of the condition of aquatic habitats, aquatic invertebrate communities, and fish communities at five fixed monitoring stations and five randomly selected monitoring stations distributed among the five major watersheds draining Rockdale County, Georgia. Ecological data collected during stream surveys were applied to indices recommended by the State of Georgia for conducting biomonitoring and biological assessments in the Piedmont Ecoregion of Georgia.
Based on the invertebrate and habitat assessments conducted during summer 2003, Ecological Condition Scores were calculated. These scores were based on the total numbers of points accumulated at a site and ranged from 35 at the reference stream reach located on Little Haynes Creek to 15 at Snapping Shoals Creek at Flat Shoals Road. Ecological Condition Scores were based on the percentage of each site's score as compared to the reference site. Ecological Condition Scores are linked by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to general assessment categories, which have corresponding legal implications defined by the Clean Water Act. Most Rockdale County streams assessed during 2003 were rated as "fair" or "partially supporting" the stream's designated water use. Only one stream, Jackson Creek above Rock Creek, was rated as "good" and therefore "supporting" its designated water use; conversely, only one stream, Snapping Shoals Creek at Flat Shoals Road, was rated as "poor" and therefore "not supporting" its designated water use.
Fish community data were used to rank streams based on index of biotic integrity scores calculated from data collected by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Based on these scores, fish communities were assigned to integrity classes. Integrity classes in streams assessed during 2003 ranged from "good" at the reference site to "very poor" or "poor" at eight other sites. One stream in Rockdale County, Honey Creek at Honey Creek Road, was rated as "fair" based on fish community data collected during 2003.
Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
Description of Study Area
Methods of Investigation
Site Selection
Habitat Characterization
Invertebrate Community Characterization
Fish Community Characterization
Stream Use Classification and Integrity Classes
Results
Big Haynes Creek Watershed
Fixed Site (Reference Site) — Little Haynes Creek at Dial Mill Road
Random Site — Big Haynes Creek at Pleasant Hill Road.
Yellow River Watershed
Fixed Site — Tributary to Yellow River at County Road 411
Random Site — Tributary to Yellow River at Dennard Road
Snapping Shoals Creek Watershed
Fixed Site — Snapping Shoals Creek at Honey Creek Road
Random Site — Snapping Shoals Creek at Flat Shoals Road
Honey Creek Watershed
Fixed Site — Honey Creek at Flat Shoals Road
Random Site — Honey Creek at Honey Creek Road
South River Watershed
Fixed Site — Tributary to South River at Flat Bridge Road
Random Site — Jackson Creek above Rock Creek
Use Classification and Integrity Classes
References Cited
Glossary
Appendix A. Summary of Invertebrate Community Data
Appendix B. Summary of Fish Community Data
This report is available online in pdf format:
Open-File Report 2005-1214 (3.2 MB)
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Incorporated.)
Fish and invertebrate data used in this report and collected during 2003 and 2004 monitoring are reported in the U.S. Geological Survey's annual Water Resources Data report for Georgia.
Recent USGS publications on Georgia or Georgia Water-Resources Information
For more information, please contact webmaster-ga@usgs.gov .
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