Instream flow studies on Richland Creek, Nashville,Tennessee

Richland Creek in Nashville, Tennessee has one major water withdrawal from the McCabe Golf Course. McCabe Golf Course withdraws a daily average of 403,500 gallons (0.63 cfs) of water from Richland Creek over a 60-155 day period. There are several days from May through September that a large percentage of the flow is withdrawn from Richland Creek based on a daily average withdrawal of 0.63 cfs. The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score for this creek in 2009 was 34 which is considered poor. Low flows in Richland Creek lead to declines in fish diversity and abundance. Rock Bass and Smallmouth Bass were found in Richland Creek which gives hope that if flow and water quality are restored to this system, this could become a great sport fishery in Nashville. The North Carolina Biotic Integrity (NCBI) index for macroinvertebrates was 5.52 (good) downstream of the McCabe Golf Course intake and 3.73 upstream (excellent) of the intake. A large percentage of macroinvertebrates were nutrient tolerant (80.2% and 76.1%) and there were a low number of Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) present. The flow regime is not maintained due to the low flows that exist year round in Richland Creek.