Thanks for the prompt responses. I'm locating in SW VA, about 2 hours west of Roanoke.
I'm very well aware of the ambiguity pertaining to the legal definition of a "stream". This particular hollow does not show a blue streambed on USGS quadrangles.
I know that I've seen trout stream mitigation projects where boulders, railroad ties, logs, etc. have been used to create cascading structures and pools to hold trout. I'm figuring what we are doing is not much more significant, aside from the fact that the creekbed has never held fish in the past.
Our current spring setup is really neat. We were able to dam the head of the spring to create a concrete springbox. A 1" water line diverts the clean water to a cabin (gravity fed, 1" line = 10 GPM, 40 ft. drop). The water runs continuously to a 500 gallon holding tank, barried by the cabin. Our bladder system taps into this tank. Overflow from the 500 gallon tank is piped back to the streambed. The water tested very well and is drinking quality. We have noticed zero fluctuations in water flow over the past several years, and locals tell us they know it has been flowing for 50+ years. Beats the odds of drilling a well!
It sounds simple, but a lot of thinking went into it to make it fool proof and prevent vapor locks, as there's a gully that the water line crosses.
