Walker Branch Watershed is located on the U. S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation near Oak Ridge, in Anderson County, Tennessee. The watershed consists of two subcatchments with a total area of approximately 100 ha. The climate is typical of the humid southern Appalachian region. The forest soils are acidic, very cherty, infertile, and permeable. They are formed over dolomitic bedrock, but retain little evidence of their carbonate parent material. The forest vegetation is primarily oak-hickory with scattered pine on the ridges and mesophytic hardwoods in the valleys.The Walker Branch Watershed Project began in 1967 under sponsorship of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission (now the U. S. Department of Energy). Initially, the project centered primarily on the geologic and hydrologic processes that control the amounts and chemistry of water moving through the watershed. Past projects have included:
These projects have all contributed to a more complete understanding of how forest watersheds function and have provided insights into the solution of energy-related problems associated with air pollution, contaminant transport, and forest nutrient dynamics. This is one of a few sites in the world characterized by long-term, intensive environmental studies.