2006 305(b) Report The Status of Water Quality in Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation 2006 305(b) Report The Status of Water Quality in Tennessee April 2006 Prepared by: Gregory M. Denton Kimberly J. Sparks Deborah H. Arnwine Rebecca R. James Linda K. Cartwright Geo-Indexing of Water Quality Information by: Richard E. Cochran Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Water Pollution Control 401 Church Street L&C Annex, 6th Floor Nashville, Tennessee 37243-1534 615-532-0625 Table of Contents Section I – 2006 305(b) Report Page Introduction to Tennessee’s Water Quality……………………………. 1 Executive Summary…………………………………………………… 3 Statutory Requirements………………………………………………... 5 Tennessee at a Glance…………………………………………………. 6 Cost of Water Pollution……………………………………………….. 8 Chapter 1 - Water Quality Assessment Process……………………………………. 9 Chapter 2 - Water Quality Standards Attainment Status…………………………… 32 Chapter 3 - Causes of Water Pollution …………………………………………….. 38 Chapter 4 - Sources of Water Pollution …………………………………………… 52 Chapter 5 - Posted Streams, Rivers, and Reservoirs ………………………………. 67 Chapter 6 - Special Projects ……………………………………………………….. 80 Chapter 7 - Public Participation …………………………………………………… 85 Definitions and Acronyms…………………………………………….. 89 References……………………………………………………………... 92 Section II – Detailed Watershed Information Page Watershed Name (HUC Code) Conasauga River Watershed (TN03150101)…………….……………………………. 98 Barren River Watershed (TN05110002)………………...………………….………… 99 Clear Fork Watershed (TN05130101)…………………...……………………………. 100 Upper Cumberland River Watershed (TN05130103)………….……………………… 101 South Fork Cumberland River Watershed (TN05130104)…….……………………… 102 Obey River Watershed (TN05130105)…………………..……………………………. 103 Cordell Hull Reservoir Watershed (TN05130106)……...……………………………. 104 Collins River Watershed (TN05130107)………………...……………………………. 105 Caney Fork River Watershed (TN05130108)…………...……………………………. 106 Old Hickory Reservoir Watershed (TN05130201)……...……………………………. 107 Cheatham Reservoir Watershed (TN05130202)………...……………………………. 108 Stones River Watershed (TN05130203)………………………………………………. 109 Harpeth River Watershed (TN05130204)……………….……………………………. 110 Barkley Reservoir Watershed (TN05130205)…………...……………………………. 111 Red River Watershed (TN05130206)…………………………………………………. 112 North Fork Holston River Watershed (TN06010101)…...…………………………… 113 South Fork Holston River Watershed (TN06010102)…..……………………………. 114 Watauga River Watershed (TN06010103)……………………………………………. 115 Holston River Watershed (TN06010104)……………….……………………………. 116 Upper French Broad River Watershed (TN06010105)….……………………………. 117 Pigeon River Watershed (TN06010106)………………...……………………………. 118 i Table of Contents Continued Page Watershed Name (HUC Code) Lower French Broad Watershed (TN06010107)………...………………………... 119 Nolichucky River Watershed (TN06010108)…………………………………….. 120 Upper Tennessee River Watershed (TN06010201)………………………………. 121 Little Tennessee River Watershed (TN06010204)……………………………….. 122 Upper Clinch River Watershed (TN06010205)………….……………………….. 123 Powell River Watershed (TN06010206)………………………………….………. 124 Lower Clinch River Watershed (TN06010207)…………………………………... 125 Emory River Watershed (TN06010208)………………...………………………... 126 Lower Tennessee River Watershed (TN06020001)……..……………………….. 127 Hiwassee River Watershed (TN06020002)……………...……………………….. 128 Ocoee River Watershed (TN06020003)………………………………………….. 129 Sequatchie River Watershed (TN06020004)…………….……………………….. 130 Guntersville Reservoir Watershed (TN06030001)……………………………….. 131 Wheeler Reservoir Watershed (TN06030002)…………..………………………... 132 Upper Elk River Watershed (TN06030003………………………………………. 133 Lower Elk River Watershed (TN06030004)…………….………………………... 134 Pickwick Reservoir Watershed (TN06030005)………….……………………….. 135 Upper Kentucky Reservoir Watershed (TN06040001)….………………………... 136 Upper Duck River Watershed (TN06040002)…………...……………………….. 137 Lower Duck River Watershed (TN06040003)…………..………………………... 138 Buffalo River Watershed (TN06040004)………………..………………………... 139 Lower Kentucky Reservoir Watershed (TN06040005)….……………………….. 140 Clarks River Watershed (TN06040006)………………………………………….. 141 Mississippi River Watershed (TN08010100)…………………………………….. 142 Lower Obion River Watershed (TN08010202)………….……………………….. 143 South Fork Obion River Watershed (TN08010203)…….………………………... 144 North Fork Forked Deer River Watershed (TN08010204)....…………………….. 145 South Fork Forked Deer River Watershed (TN08010205)..……………………… 146 Forked Deer River Watershed (TN08010206)…………..………………………... 147 Upper Hatchie River Watershed (TN08010207)………...……………………….. 148 Lower Hatchie River Watershed (TN08010208)………..………………………... 149 Loosahatchie River Watershed (TN08010209)………….………………………... 150 Wolf River Watershed (TN08010210)…………………..………………………... 151 Nonconnah Creek Watershed (TN08010211)…………….………………………. 152 ii List of Tables Page Table 1: Outstanding National Resource Waters….………………………………….. 13 Table 2: Antidegradation Categories…………………………………………………. 14 Table 3: Watershed Groups and Monitoring Schedule…………………………….…. 17 Table 4: Data Submitted to the Division for Consideration in the 2006 Assessment Process……………………………………………………………………… 21 Table 5: Assessed Stream Miles……………………………………………………… 32 Table 6: Individual Classified Use Support for Rivers and Streams…………………. 33 Table 7: Assessed Reservoir and Lake Acres……………….………………………... 34 Table 8: Individual Classified Use Support for Reservoirs and Lakes……………….. 36 Table 9: Causes of Impairment in Assessed Rivers and Reservoirs……………….…. 50 Table 10: Sources of Pollutants in Assessed Rivers and Reservoirs…………………... 53 Table 11: Bacteriological Advisories in Tennessee……………………………………. 70 Table 12: Fish Tissue Advisories in Tennessee………………………………………... 77 List of Figures Page Figure 1: Watershed Monitoring Groups……………………………………………... 16 Figure 2: Watershed Cycle…………………………………………………………… 18 Figure 3: Percent of River and Stream Miles Monitored…………………………….. 31 Figure 4: Percent of Reservoir and Lake Acres Monitored…………………………... 31 Figure 5: Percent of Rivers and Streams in Each Category………………………….. 33 Figure 6: Percent Use Support for Individual Classified Uses in Assessed Rivers and Streams……………………………………………………………………… 34 Figure 7: Percent of Reservoir and Lake Acres in Each Category…………..…….…. 35 Figure 8: Percent Use Support for Individual Uses in Assessed Reservoirs and Lakes……….……………………………………………………………….. 36 Figure 9: Relative Impacts of Pollution in Assessed Rivers and Streams……………. 38 Figure 10: Relative Impacts of Pollution in Assessed Reservoir and Lake Acres…….. 45 Figure 11: Percent Contribution of Pollution Sources in Impaired Rivers and Streams. 52 Figure 12: Sources of Agricultural Pollution in Impaired Rivers and Streams………... 56 Figure 13: Sources of Habitat Alterations in Impaired Rivers and Streams…………… 57 Figure 14: Percent Contribution of Pollution Sources in Impaired Reservoirs and Lakes………………………………………………………………………... 64 Figure 15: Sources of Legacy Pollutants in Reservoirs and Lakes…………………….. 65 Figure 16: Percent Contribution of Stream Miles Posted for Pathogen Contamination………………………………………………………………. 68 Figure 17: Stream Miles Contaminated by Various Pathogen Sources………………... 69 Figure 18: Percent Contribution of Reservoir Acres Posted for Fish Tissue Contamination…………………………………………………………..…... 73 Figure 19: Percent Contribution of Stream Miles Posted for Fish Tissue Contamination………………………………………………………………. 73 Figure 20: Reconnaissance Results of Impounded Stream Study……………………… 80 Figure 21: Randomly Selected Wadeable Streams Assessment Sites in Tennessee…… 84 Figure 22: TDEC Environmental Field Office Boundaries………………….………… 88 Figure 23: Watersheds of Tennessee…………………………………………………... 95 Cover Photo: Roaring River in Overton County. Photo provided by Annie Goodhue, NEFO. iii Section I – 2006 305(b) Report Status of Water Quality in Tennessee Introduction to Tennessee’s Water Quality This report was prepared by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Pollution Control, to fulfill the requirements of both federal and state laws. Section 305(b) of the federal Clean Water Act requires a biennial analysis of water quality in the state. The Tennessee Water Quality Control Act also requires that the division produce a report on the status of water quality. TDEC’s goals for the 305(b) Report are: ● Describe the water quality assessment process (Chapter 1). ● Categorize waters in the State by placing them in the assessment categories suggested by federal guidance (Chapter 2). ● Identify waterbodies that pose eminent human-health risks due to elevated bacteria levels or contamination of fish (Chapter 5). ● Provide detailed information on each watershed (Section II). Acknowledgements The Director of the Division of Water Pollution Control (WPC) is Paul E. Davis and the Deputy Director is Garland P. Wiggins. The Planning and Standards Section of WPC produced this report in cooperation with regional field office staff. The authors would like to express appreciation to the Water Pollution Control staff of TDEC’s regional Environmental Field Offices (EFOs) and the Aquatic Biology staff of the Tennessee Department of Health who collected the stream, river, and reservoir data documented in this report. The managers of the staff in these offices are: Terry Templeton Memphis EFO Pat Patrick Jackson EFO Joe Holland Nashville EFO Dick Urban Chattanooga EFO Paul Schmierbach Knoxville EFO Andrew Tolley Johnson City EFO Tim Wilder