KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the past four years, sediment has been sporadically flowing into Third Creek near the University of Tennessee campus.
Chad Hellwinckel has been walking along the Third Creek Greenway every day to get to work for 28 years.
"I enjoy seeing the birds on the creek, the fish, there's turtles that will come out and sunbathe in the spring and I've even seen a family of river otters that come out and feed on the fish," said Hellwinckel.
About four years ago, Chad noticed sediment flowing into the creek. He's seen it at least once every year since.
"It's pretty obvious, it looks like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, a bunch of chocolate flowing into the clear water," said Hellwinckel.
Chad believes that the recent sedimentation has had an effect on the creek.
"I've seen a lot less fish and haven't seen the otters in a few years," said Hellwinckel.
Whenever he notices new runoff, Chad reports it to the city. He says the city has traced it back to one area each time.
"The sediment that I've been seeing in the last four years has been tied into development in the Cumberland Avenue corridor," said Hellwinckel.
Chad saw sediment flowing a couple of weeks ago, and a spokesperson for the City of Knoxville said it's been traced back to The HUB apartment development on Cumberland Avenue.
City Engineers say the project was not managing the sediment associated with construction. The city issued more than $8,000 in fines to the Juneau Construction Company. They also issued a "stop work order" and two "stop pumping orders."
Chad plans to continue to keep a watchful eye on the creek.
"We all deserve clean creeks where we live. And this ultimately ends up in the river where we swim and drink out of. Clean water is important," said Hellwinckel.