Aerial Views 

Aerial views of Sinking Creek showing reparian changes from 1957 to 2006.

Sinking Creek, a stream located in the Stones River Watershed, is almost completely contained by the Murfreesboro city limits. The stream begins as a spring near the Oaklands Mansion and enters the Stones River north of Thompson Lane. Impaired by sediment, it also has an inadequate riparian buffer in many areas. Land use is mixed between commercial and residential.

Sinking Creek was visually assessed in June 2008, which included mapping the stream and noting any problems. Mapping the stream involved taking GPS points and noting the boundaries of the stream. Algae and a thick layer of sediment were present on the stream floor. Erosion had caused an inadequate buffer in many locations.

Sinking Creek Visual Assessment Map

Repairing Sinking Creek 

The Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department purchased a vacuum truck in June 2008. The truck’s purpose is to clear the storm water drains of sediment that enters the river and harms aquatic life.

Restoring the stream bank 

A stream’s riparian zone (the buffer of vegetation between a stream and other land area) is an important feature of the stream’s well being. This zone includes trees whose root systems hold the stream bank in place, providing shade and regulating water temperatures necessary for aquatic life to thrive. In Sinking Creek, this filter has been virtually eliminated due to development and residential mowing.