The Spotfin Chub
A Threatened Species
Description
Spotfin chub is a small minnow no bigger than 4-5 inches in length. Females and juveniles are an olive-tan color, while the males are a grey and iridescent blue color. They live in the 12 Tennessee River tributaries that are located in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia.
Surveying for Spotfin Chubs in the NF Holston River
Decline
Due to agriculture, mining, highway and road construction, industrial development, and other construction, there is no control on soil erosion and storm water runoff. This gets into the rivers and streams and completely destroys the habitat for aquatic creatures.
Protection
We could make sure that there is a safer and more resilient way of holding back the surface run off from getting into streams and lakes.
There have been no conservation projects. Efforts of relocating them back to their natural habitat have been made however.