Creek Ecology

Illustration By Jay Montgomery . . .

www.jaymontgomery.com
CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BASIN ACT:
A comprehensive analysis of the environmental threats that can
result from development near creeks is described fully in the
Basin Act. Highlights follow below.
Construction of the proposed eleven (11) acre Mountain Way
Common Park & the Georgia 400 concrete urban trail would
threaten the Little Nancy Creek watershed in five (5) principal
ways . . .
Soil erosion.
 A reduction in life sustaining dissolved oxygen in Little
Nancy Creek.
An increase of fourteen (14) tons of carbon dioxide,
a greenhouse gas, into our atmosphere each year.
Two (2) retention dams that would reduce water flow &
impede critters from free movement along the creek.
And, chemical runoff from the concrete urban trail into the
Little Nancy Creek watershed.

SOIL EROSION:
While construction of the park and urban trail has not begun, a
large swath of mature hard wood trees were removed in 2012
by a State contractor. Also, the NBCA continues to ask well
intentioned, but uninformed, volunteer groups to clear the site
of "nuisance" trees and vegetation . . . privet, ivy, kudzu etc.
The root systems of all plants and trees, even those considered
to be nuisance varieties, criss cross one another in an intricate,
entwined, underground mesh that compacts and holds soil
together. Absent this protection, soil begins to loosen. As rain
water intrudes into the underground space formally occupied by
the root mesh, which dies after trees and vegetation are cut, soil
washes into the creek, degrading its water quality.
As well, the decomposition of fallen tree leaves in a creek is the
primary source of nutrients which feed aquatic insects. These
insects, in turn, are the primary food source for crayfish,
salamanders and other aquatic creatures. Therefore, removal of
treesalong a creek corridor, even those considered to be
nuisance varieties, will diminish the food available for the
critters.
Cut trees along Little Nancy Creek . . . January 2013. Soil
erosion will follow. Note that the tree cuts are within seventy-
five (75) feet of the creek bank, a violation of
the Chattahoochee River Basin Act.

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OXYGEN DEPLETION (O2):
Aquatic life forms breathe dissolved oxygen in the creek water.
One source of dissolved oxygen is aquatic plants which produce
oxygen via photosynthesis. However, as ground cover
vegetation and trees are cut to prepare the site for construction,
soil will wash into the creek and sink, often suffocating aquatic
plants. This will reduce the level of dissolved oxygen.
A second source of oxygen depletion is increased water
temperature. With the loss of trees and vegetation, which
began in 2012, more sunlight is reaching the creek surface
which increases its temperature. As the temperature increases,
oxygen (a dissolved gas), escapes into the atmosphere.
And, as dissolved oxygen is depleted, beneficial aerobic
bacteria, which clean creek water and thrive in an oxygen rich
environment, will be reduced in number. As a result, water
quality will be degraded.
As well, the creek water evaporates at a faster rate, especially in
the summer. As a result, more of the creek bed is exposed as
noted in the foreground of the photo below. Photo taken on
4/26/13.

CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2):

Humans breathe oxygen (O2) which enters out lungs and is
absorbed into our bloodstream. From there the oxygen is
transported about our bodies where it nourishes our cells and
removes carbon dioxide (CO2). We exhale this carbon dioxide.
In contrast, the leaves of plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide
and use it, plus sunlight, to sustain their growth, an
extraordinary chemical process called photosynthesis. A
chemical by-product of photosynthesis is oxygen, which the
leaves exhale or "transpire" back into the air we breathe.
We inhale O2 and exhale CO2. Leaves inhale CO2 and exhale
O2.
Why is this important?
The North Carolina State University Co-Op Extension Service
estimates that a single tree absorbs about fifty (50) pounds of
carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, each year.
According to the NBCA Newsletter, LB plans to cut 550 trees
to construct its urban trail. As a result, about fourteen (14) tons
of carbon dioxide, formerly absorbed by these trees, will linger
in our atmosphere each year.
550 cut trees X 50 pounds of CO2 absorbed each year per
tree = 27,500 pounds of CO2 or 13.75 tons.

RETENTION DAMS:
Two (2) retention dams, in the creek, have been proposed.
These dams, constructed of rip-rap rocks and/or other natural
materials, would create two ponds which undeniably would
have great aesthetic appeal. However, these two (2) dams
would slow the flow rate of Little Nancy Creek and
significantly increase the amount of its surface area exposed to
sunlight. As a result, the level of dissolved oxygen would likely
decrease.
As well, the dams would impede or block the free movement of
aquatic and terrestrial creatures along the creek corridor.
Because more of the creek bank would be submerged as water
rises to create the two ponds, additional soil from the creek
bank would slough off into the creek. See Update on page two.

CHEMICAL RUNOFF:
The soles of recreational shoes and bicycle tires are
manufactured with a host of chemical compounds. For
example, shoe soles and bicycle tires typically include carbon
black, a fine powdery substance, used in a variety of industrial
applications. As molecules of carbon black and other chemical
compounds slough off from the wear and tear of shoes and tires
along the concrete urban trail, rainwater would ultimately wash
these pollutants into the creek. As well, bicycle lubricants
deposited on the concrete trail would wash off, degrading water
quality.
TOPOGRAPHY:
Little Nancy Creek was formed eons ago by the movement of
water off the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina through
Atlanta to the sea. As the water moved and carved its way
through the landscape, some hills were sliced into two pieces.
This is why the topography at Little Nancy Creek under the
Georgia 400 overpass is so steep and unique.
As water flowed, for millions of years, sedimentary rocks
buried in the hillside, now sliced into two pieces, were exposed.
Because these exposed rocks caused the flowing water to ripple
and swirl, Little Nancy Creek became oxygenated and habitable
by aquatic life forms. You can examine these exposed shale
rock layers along Mountain Way. Note that the sedimentary
rock formations are uplifted, evidence of the enormous
compressional geologic forces that created the Appalachian
Mountain range eons ago.
Sedimentary shale rock layers, 50 - 250 million years old, along
Wieuca Road.

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Meanwhile, to compensate for the steep topography, Nature
provided ground cover and trees, so vitally important to retain
soil.
Some folks view Little Nancy Creek and see an eyesore. They
see an opportunity to intrude, to remove "nuisance" vegetation
and trees, to build physical structures for human use. Others,
Foxy and the critters, see a home. The conservationists? We
see a miracle of natural creation, eons in the making . . . we see
environmental harmony and beauty . . . we see Nature's gifts
right there at our doorstep . . . we see a fragile ecosystem . . . so
unsuitable for a park, when other parks are nearby.
PHOTOS:
As water swirls across sedimentary rocks, Little Nancy Creek is
oxygenated, essential for aquatic creatures.
To fully appreciate how many trees were cut to clear the site in
the photo below, enter "590 Mountain Way" in the Google
Earth App to see an aerial view of the magnificent tree cover in
this area before the trees were cut in 2012. The Google image
can not be posted because it is copyrighted material.
The area below was formally animal ground cover. Soil
retaining "nuisance" vegetation was removed to create a
walking path.

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Note the muddy runoff of soil down the slope in the same area
after a rainfall.
The muddy soil runs down the slope and joins effluent from the
culvert in the creek. The culvert under Mountain Way is to the
right, not shown in the photo.
The denuded hillside in front of the silt fence below resulted
when a developer illegally removed trees in 2010 at a new
home located at the corner of Mountain Way and North Ivy
roads. The developer later abandoned the project and the home
is vacant.
Note the soil erosion in the foreground.
To fully appreciate how many trees were cut by the developer,
enter 688 Mountain Way" in the Google Earth App for an
aerial view of the raw scar left on the landscape which will take
a generation, or more, to remediate.

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As the concrete urban trail moves north up the Georgia 400

corridor to the Lowrey-Stevens African American Cemetery,
trees behind the silt fence will also be cut. This will increase
soil erosion and raise the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide at
this site. Close up of soil erosion in the photo below.
It is ironic that the City of Atlanta fined the developer who
illegally removed trees in front of the silt fence, while these
trees behind the silt fence in the photo below will be cut by
Livable Buckhead without penalty.
http://www.foxyluvsplink.com/creek-ecology.html