Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Linking Stream Sediment Metrics And Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Status In East Tennessee Streams, Grant Thomas Lynch

Masters Theses

Excess sediment is one of the leading causes of impairment of the rivers and streams of Tennessee and in the United States. Sediment acts as a pollutant by degrading the quality of habitat for fish and other aquatic life. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) currently assesses the quality of streams in Tennessee by conducting benthic macroinvertebrate surveys. These surveys use seven biometrics to calculate Tennessee Macroinvertebrate Index (TMI) scores. This method is well tested and reliable, but it has not been shown to directly link changes in stream sediment characteristics to macroinvertebrate status. Finding a stream sediment …