Suspended sediment and bed load in three tributaries to Lake Emory in the upper Little Tennessee River basin, North Carolina, 2000-02

<em>Abstract.</em>—In 2015, the Little Tennessee River basin became the nation’s first native fish conservation area. Watersheds designated as native fish conservation areas are managed for the conservation and restoration of native fish and other aquatic species, allowing compatible uses. The Little Tennessee River basin spans three states (Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee) and features a diversity of aquatic habitats that include high-elevation coldwater trout streams, warmwater rivers, and large human-made reservoirs. Although this basin is home to a biologically diverse aquatic community, streams have been impacted by a host of stressors, including logging, dams, agriculture, industrial pollutants, piscicides, and development. Some streams impacted in the past now offer restoration opportunities, and numerous efforts are underway to restore native fish and mussels to streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on U.S. Forest Service land, on the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and on private lands. More than 20 organizations, including federal and state agencies, industry, and nongovernmental entities, form the Little Tennessee Native Fish Conservation Partnership. The partnership supports work already underway by partners by providing additional funding, technical and educational resources, and a mechanism for collaboration. Perhaps most importantly, the partnership provides a forum to plan and implement watershed conservation on a landscape scale. Partners developed an online conservation mapper, which houses data, maps threats, identifies focal areas for restoration and protection, and ultimately serves as a conservation plan for the watershed. Current efforts to identify habitat restoration and protection projects are underway.

Download Full-text

Cambarus ectopistes sp. nov., a new stream-dwelling crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the French Broad, Pigeon, and Nolichucky River watersheds in the Appalachian Mountain region of North Carolina and Tennessee, USA

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5082.4.2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5082 (4) ◽

pp. 322-340

Author(s):

ZACHARY J. LOUGHMAN ◽

BRONWYN W. WILLIAMS

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

New Species ◽

Body Size ◽

River Basin ◽

Species Complex ◽

Mountain Region ◽

River Watershed ◽

Appalachian Mountain ◽

Tennessee River

The Cataloochee Crayfish, Cambarus ectopistes sp. nov., is a large, stream-dwelling crayfish that occupies a narrow noncontiguous distribution within the Appalachian Mountain region running through the Upper Tennessee River basin, in the French Broad, Pigeon, and Nolichucky watersheds along the Tennessee and North Carolina border. It is split from the southernmost extent of the C. robustus species complex, and is morphologically and genetically most similar to a second undescribed member of the group endemic to the upper Nolichucky River watershed in North Carolina. Cambarus ectopistes sp. nov. can be distinguished from other members of the C. robustus complex and co-distributed congeners by a combination of characters, including body size, coloration, and morphology of the chela and rostrum. The new species is typically found in channel and edge habitats of moderate to large perennial streams with large cobbles and boulders.

Download Full-text

Status Update for Six Rare Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) in Western North Carolina

Journal of North Carolina Academy of Science ◽

10.7572/2167-5880-130.2.25 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 130 (2) ◽

pp. 25-39

Author(s):

William T. Russ ◽

Stephen J. Fraley

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Limited Range ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Savannah River ◽

Isolated Populations ◽

River Drainage ◽

Tennessee River ◽

Western North Carolina ◽

Little Tennessee River

Abstract From 2009–2012 detailed distribution data, information to update conservation status, and additional life history and habitat observations were obtained for six rare crayfishes in Western North Carolina. The Hiwassee Headwaters Crayfish, Cambarus (Puncticambarus) parrishi, continues to occupy a very limited range in Clay County, with most known occurrences from the Tusquitee Creek system. The Chauga Crayfish, C. (P.) chaugaensis, appears to be abundant throughout much of its range in the upper Savannah River Drainage, in Transylvania, Jackson, and Macon counties. The French Broad River Crayfish, C. (P.) reburrus, has declined in Madison and Buncombe counties, while populations in Transylvania County appear to have remained relatively stable. The Broad River Stream Crayfish, C. (Cambarus) lenati continues to occur primarily in the upper First Broad River drainage where it is common in some streams in Rutherford County. The Broad River Spiny Crayfish, C. (P.) spicatus is rare but continues to exist in two isolated populations: upper First Broad and North Pacolet river drainages. The Little Tennessee River Crayfish, C. (P.) georgiae continues to occupy Jackson and Macon counties where it is most abundant in the upper Little Tennessee River Drainage. No range expansions were observed for any of these crayfish species.

Download Full-text