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Collaboration and Partnerships
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Beaver Creek Watershed Initiative (TN)
EPA Region 4 - Atlanta
Geographic location or area of activity: Knox County, Tennessee
Description of activity: The Beaver Creek Watershed is located within Knox County, Tennessee. It drains an area of approximately 86 square miles of urbanizing land. Streams within the watershed are impaired due to excess siltation, pathogens, nutrients, low dissolved oxygen and habitat alteration with the impairments originating from agriculture, major municipal point sources and urban runoff.
The Beaver Creek Watershed Initiative has been recognized by the EPA Region 4 and serves as model for water quality improvement assessment, planning and implementation across the Tennessee Valley. Because of the success experienced in the Beaver Creek Watershed, EPA has offered support of future work within the watershed. The pollution credit-trading program focuses on reducing the overall nutrient pollution in Beaver Creek by developing a mechanism for the local utility districts and other land users to buy and sell nutrient credits. This is one of the first nutrient trading projects in Tennessee. The Green Infrastructure Plan seeks to develop a comprehensive plan that integrates environmental conservation, recreation, and infrastructure development in ways that not only benefit the environment but the health and well being of the community.
Interagency partners: EPA Region 4, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Valley Authority, AmeriCorps, USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Department of Interior - US Geological Survey
Local partners: City of Knoxville; Hallsdale-Powell Utility District; Knox County Government; Knox County Soil Conservation District; Knoxville Utilities Board; Water Quality Forum; West Knox Utility District; University of Tennessee Water Resource Research Center