Roseberry Creek Watershed
The Roseberry Creek watershed is currently impaired for bacteria from failing septic systems and livestock operations. Knox County received a watershed grant from the TN Dept. of Agriculture in 2017 to help homeowners and farmers pay for repairs and best management practices to improve water quality in Roseberry Creek.
The 13 square mile Roseberry Creek Watershed is nestled between the Beaver Creek and Flat Creek Watersheds in northeast Knox County. Roseberry Creek originates in the Corryton Community and winds its way through 19.92 miles of pasture and pockets of rural residential land to its confluence with the Holston River.
Roseberry Creek is listed as impaired for E. coli by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). This means that the bacteria E. coli is above levels considered safe for human contact. Exposure to high levels of this bacteria may cause illness. TDEC has determined that the elevated E. coli levels result from failing septic systems and poor pasture on agricultural land. Runoff from these sources carry the bacteria to the creek. KUB has limited sewer service in this watershed. This means that the majority of dwellings are on septic systems.
Help is here! Knox County Stormwater Management was recently notified that the Tennessee Department of Agriculture has awarded Knox County $144,000 from its 319(h) clean water grant program to help pay the costs of fixing homeowners’ failed septic systems and putting improvements on farm properties. This grant runs from March of 2017 – March 2019.
To find out if you qualify for septic system repairs, click here
To find out if you qualify for Agricultural Best Management practices, click here
To find out if you live in the Roseberry Creek watershed, click here
Still have questions?
Contact (865) 215-5540 for septic funding inquiries.
Contact (865) 523-3338 x 3 for agricultural funding inquiries.
