Red Bank stream health progressing [photos]

A section of Stringer's Branch along Dayton Boulevard is seen Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, in Red Bank, Tenn. The waterway, which has been on the state's contact advisory list for high levels of bacteria, could soon be removed from the list as bacteria levels have fallen.
A section of Stringer's Branch along Dayton Boulevard is seen Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, in Red Bank, Tenn. The waterway, which has been on the state's contact advisory list for high levels of bacteria, could soon be removed from the list as bacteria levels have fallen.

A Hamilton County stream that has been on the state's contact advisory list for more than 25 years could receive the all-clear from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation "in the near future."

State officials issued a water contact advisory for Stringer's Branch, which cuts through the heart of Red Bank, in 1990 because of elevated pathogen levels from chronic sewage overflows.

It is one of three streams in Hamilton County with signs posted along their banks indicating that people might be endangered by swimming or wading in the water. Citico Creek and Chattanooga Creek are the others.

In a letter to Red Bank City Manager Randall Smith earlier this month, TDEC environmental program manager Jennifer Innes wrote that stream monitoring data indicates the bacteria levels in Stringer's Branch have been improving over the last several years.

"This is likely due to improvements to sewer infrastructure in the watershed of Stringers Branch," Innes wrote. "We will continue to gather information and data, and hope that in the near future the department can consider lifting the contact advisory."

Red Bank Mayor John Roberts said he had Smith organize a meeting with TDEC officials in August to get an update on the stream after rumors spread that its condition might actually be worsening.

Roberts said it would be great for the city for the creek to be healthy enough to be removed from the contact advisory list.

"Who wants to live next door to a polluted creek?" he said. "As a long as the creek is improving, like they said, that's what I like to hear."

East Chattanooga's Citico Creek is on the contact advisory list because of sewage collection systems overflows, while Chattanooga Creek is on the list because of "collection system problems, plus sources in Georgia," according to TDEC.

The City of Chattanooga is in the midst of complying with a $250 million federal consent decree that is requiring it to overhaul a sewer system ill-equipped to handle the 26 billion gallons of sewage that flow into it each year.

Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.

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