PO Box 843
Winchester, TN 37398
chairman@timsfordcouncil.com
Water Quality Special Interest Group
TFC Water Quality Study of Tims Ford Reservoir
SUMMARY
A study of water
quality during 2001-2006 of the Tims Ford Reservoir of the
Water quality criteria are categorized primarily for usage, i.e. recreation, fishing, water sports, domestic water supply etc. The lake would be considered “good” under these criteria. However, EPA considers other factors such as chlorophyll, bottom life etc. Using all these factors including the EPA weighting method, TVA rates the lake as “poor”. It should also be noted that TDEC water quality studies are done at “wadeable” locations that are more susceptible to contamination than the main reservoir.
The only adverse trend in water quality over a three year period that we were able to document because of field test limitations was a decrease in visibility (0.5 feet per year). This finding is consistent with TVA documentation of increasing chlorophyll and nutrient levels likely due to burgeoning lakeshore development, siltation and nutrient inflow. These combined data represent acceleration of expected degradation (eutrophication).
Recommendations are made for limiting future test locations and test parameters. Phosphorus monitoring at the range of significance (parts per billion) exceeds the capability of a field test method and should be considered by TVA to identify possible point sources.
CONCLUSION
The water quality of Tims Ford Reservoir is currently “good” for recreational purposes (fishing, swimming, boating) and for domestic water supply. TVA rates the overall ecological health of the reservoir to be “poor” because of sparse bottom life (benthic population), low dissolved oxygen at depths below 25-30 feet, and increasing chlorophyll (reflects increased algae growth). We are concerned that our reservoir is very vulnerable to accelerated degradation of water quality due to low flow-through (average 280 days to replenish), steep embayment banks that foster runoff with increasing residential development, four sewage treatment plants that discharge their effluents into the upper and mid reservoir without tertiary
treatment, and increasing erosion and siltation. TVA predicted phosphate levels (the chief nutrient for algae growth) to exceed the threshold for water quality degradation as a consequence of continued shoreline residential development. The phosphate levels exceeded this threshold in 2003.
We believe that our water quality monitoring program must continue and that a comprehensive study of nutrient (phosphorus) inflow is essential to planning corrective measures.
“A common result of the misuse of the
drainage basin and excessive nutrient
loading of fresh water is the acceleration
of eutrophication, literally turning lakes
into algal bowls.” – Vallentyne*
*Vallentyne, J.R. 1974 The algae Bowl-Lakes and Man. Special Publication Number 22 Department of Environment Science, Ottawa
TFC Water Quality Report for 2002-2006
TFC Annual Water Quality Report for 2005
TFC Annual Water Quality Report for 2004
TFC Semi-Annual Water Quality Analysis 2003
Links to Water Quality Web Sites
Checkout Reservior Ratings by TVA
TDEC: Water Supply Policy Panel Main Page
TDEC: WaterShed Management Plan
Consistent with the objectives of the Council, the Water Quality SIG is committed to assisting responsible authorities in the identification of sources that might adversely affect water quality and will provide positive support of remedial projects.
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Date last edited: 04/17/07