A Comparison of Stream Functional Assessment Tools in Tennessee
Brandy M. Hayes
KCI Technologies
Nashville, TN
Originally developed for use in North Carolina, the Stream Quantification Tool (SQT) has now been implemented in several states, including Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, and Tennessee, to assess stream functional loss and lift. Specifically in Tennessee, the previous credit/debit methodology, called the “ratio” method, was based solely on the type of impact and the proposed restoration treatment. The ratio method did not explicitly account for the functional condition of the resource, but the new crediting methodology—coined as “functional feet” credits—quantifies stream characteristics using measurable parameters based on a hierarchical functional framework. In recent years, some states have begun releasing new versions of SQTs, with updates varying from minor or informative to major modifications. Tennessee’s new functional tool proposes significant changes, including updates to reference curves, a new hydraulics assessment option (non-bankfull), changes to the metrics list, roll-up calculation adjustments, and even the name of the tool (Tennessee Mitigation Assessment Tool). The methodologies and credit outputs of the two Tennessee stream functional assessment tools are compared, and the implications of a revised functional assessment tool are explored. These modifications could have a significant impact on credit demand and pricing, third-party provider mitigation viability, and regulatory predictability.
About Brandy M. Hayes
Brandy Hayes is a Project Manager in KCI’s Nashville, Tennessee office, where she focuses on stream and wetland mitigation projects and dam removal projects. She has extensive regulatory experience from her previous employment as a Project Manager with an In-Lieu Fee Program and as the Regulatory Manager at an ecological restoration company. Brandy has spent the past eight years in the mitigation industry with the primary focus of improving the efficiency and quality of data collection and validation to meet the needs of the regulatory environments in Tennessee and Georgia. Brandy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Tennessee. She is a recognized fluvial geomorphologist and Stream Quantification Tool subject-matter expert at KCI. Brandy lives in Chattanooga with her husband and dog, where she enjoys baking and spending time with family and friends.