Impaired Creeks FAQ:

What does it mean when a creek is impaired?
An impaired creek has been negatively impacted by pollution, resulting in decreased water quality.
The term impaired refers to refers to waters polluted to a level that no longer fully supports the uses (such as boating, swimming or drinking water) designated by the state for that particular body of water.

At what point does a creek become impaired?
A creek is impaired when the amount of pollutants exceeds an established threshold.
One tool used to determine the level of pollution in a creek is the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL. The TMDL is the amount of a particular pollutant that can be present in a waterbody without violating state water quality standards. There is a separate TMDL for each pollutant in the waterbody. A creek can have several TMDLs depending on the kinds of pollutants present. Also, a creek can have TMDLs established by different agencies such as the DEP (state level) or the EPA (federal level).

What happens after a TMDL has been implemented?
Once a TMDL is established, it is then a matter of making sure that the levels in the waterbody stay below the TMDL. This is accomplished by creating a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) which contains actions to reduce and prevent pollutant discharges through various cost-effective means.

BMAPs outline the methods for controlling both point sources (pipes) and diffuse sources, which consist of run-off from urban, agricultural, forestry, and private activities, septic systems, leaking underground storage tanks, stream channel alteration, unconfined aquifers, and damage to a riparian area.  

Which creeks are impaired?

Gainesville has four creeks on the state’s TMDL list:

Hatchett Creek
Hogtown Creek
Tumblin' Creek
Sweetwater Branch

The list also includes the water bodies into which the creeks drain: Alachua Sink and Newnan's Lake.