SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
HRWA bases its work on scientific studies
The scientific and technical staff of the Harpeth River Watershed Association, advised by a broad range of experts and assisted by trained volunteers, are working to assess water quality and stream habitat. This lays the groundwork for long-term improvements in river health.
Pioneering sediment study
How muddy is the Harpeth River? Construction sites with poor erosion control are a major source of sediment, or “mud,” as are eroding streambanks. Once sediment accumulates in a stream it smothers wildlife and habitats, and negatively affects water flow patterns. In a two-year study designed by the Cumberland River Compact, HRWA’s trained volunteers measured sediment levels throughout the watershed, clearly establishing that sediment is the Harpeth’s top water quality problem. Sites along the main Harpeth and Little Harpeth downstream from Franklin, Brentwood, and Bellevue were 3 to more than 15 times muddier than near-pristine sites located in the headwaters of the South Harpeth. A follow-up study of streambank erosion is now in progress.
