Tennessee Water Quality Assessment Report

Assessed Waters of Tennessee by Watershed

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Features

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Summary Results

Tennessee (2006)

	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
	Size of Water
Good Waters	19,068.4	416,718.0
Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses	97.6
Threatened Waters	30.0
TMDL completed
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment
TMDL needed	30.0
Impaired Waters	11,117.6	114,324.4
TMDL completed	1,907.5
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment
TMDL needed	9,210.0	114,324.4
New TMDLs completed	1,484.9	63,931.7
Remaining TMDLs needed	7,725.2	50,392.7

Total Assessed Waters	30,216.0	531,042.4
Total Waters	61,075.0	538,060.0
Percent of Waters Assessed	49.5	98.7

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Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2006

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Tennessee Rivers and Streams 2006

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Miles

Assessed	30,216.0
Unassessed	30,859.0
Total Miles	61,075.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Miles

Good	19,068.4
Threatened	30.0
Impaired	11,117.6
Total Miles Assessed	30,216.0

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Miles

All TMDLs completed	3,392.4
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	.0
TMDL needed	7,755.2
Total Threatened and Impaired	11,147.6

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
Tennessee Rivers and Streams 2006

* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.

Description of this table

Designated Use	Miles Assessed	Percent Good	Percent Threatened	Percent Impaired	% Good
					% Threatened
					% Impaired
Domestic Water Supply	3,457.8	99.3	.0	.7
Fish And Aquatic Life	29,438.0	69.4	.1	30.5
Industrial Water Supply	3,322.1	100.0	.0	.0
Irrigation	30,066.8	100.0	.0	.0
Livestock Watering And Wildlife	30,014.7	100.0	.0	.0
Naturally Reproducing Trout Stream	308.0	100.0	.0	.0
Recreation	15,260.2	64.7	.0	35.3

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
Tennessee Rivers and Streams 2006

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	5,806.1
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	Pathogens	5,128.4
Physical Substrate Habitat Alterations	Habitat Alterations	3,976.5
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	1,620.8
Nitrates	Nutrients	1,494.3
Alteration in Stream-Side or Littoral Vegetative Covers	Habitat Alterations	1,241.8
Phosphate	Nutrients	1,093.0
Other Anthropogenic Substrate Alterations	Habitat Alterations	498.6
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	382.0
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	349.7
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	299.3
Low Flow Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	277.8
Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD)	Dioxins	256.1
Chlordane	Pesticides	247.7
Iron	Metals (other than Mercury)	197.8
Manganese	Metals (other than Mercury)	152.9
Cause Unknown	Cause Unknown	125.0
Temperature, Water	Temperature	98.5
Lead	Metals (other than Mercury)	95.5
RDX (Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,2,5-Triazine	Toxic Organics	62.9
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	62.1
Oil and Grease	Oil and Grease	56.1
Zinc	Metals (other than Mercury)	50.8
Arsenic	Metals (other than Mercury)	44.2
Ammonia, Un-ionized	Ammonia	37.2
Sulfates	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	31.3
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Aquatic Ecosystems)	Toxic Organics	31.0
Mercury	Mercury	27.1
Chloride	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	22.4
Phosphorus, Elemental	Nutrients	17.9
Solids (Suspended/Bedload)	Sediment	15.2
Radium 228	Radiation	8.2
Strontium	Metals (other than Mercury)	7.3
Creosote	Toxic Organics	7.1
Odor Threshold Number	Taste, Color and Odor	6.7
Sulfide-Hydrogen Sulfide	Toxic Inorganics	6.7
Cesium	Radiation	5.3
Color	Taste, Color and Odor	5.0
Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET)	Total Toxics	4.3
Chromium, Hexavalent	Metals (other than Mercury)	3.8
Chlorine	Chlorine	1.2

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
Tennessee Rivers and Streams 2006

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones	Agriculture	4,595.2
Channelization	Hydromodification	2,992.2
Non-Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	2,573.1
Discharges From Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Ms4)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	1,972.4
Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment)	Construction	972.9
Source Unknown	Unknown	826.5
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	527.1
Sanitary Sewer Overflows (Collection System Failures)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	508.8
Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive)	Resource Extraction	391.2
Sources Outside State Juristiction Or Borders	Other	365.7
Contaminated Sediments	Legacy/Historical Pollutants	336.0
Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	321.9
Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures)	Hydromodification	305.9
Unrestricted Cattle Access	Agriculture	268.8
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	253.3
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	Agriculture	209.3
Dredging (E.G., For Navigation Channels)	Hydromodification	207.3
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	179.6
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	171.3
Rcra Hazardous Waste Sites	Industrial	120.1
Streambank Modifications/Destablization	Hydromodification	112.9
Sand/Gravel/Rock Mining Or Quarries	Resource Extraction	95.1
Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrasturcture (New Construction)	Construction	94.3
Landfills	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	46.2
Mill Tailings	Industrial	35.4
Mine Tailings	Resource Extraction	35.1
Nps Pollution From Military Base Facilities (Other Than Port Facilities)	Military Bases	32.5
Cercla Npl (Superfund) Sites	Legacy/Historical Pollutants	30.3
Dredge Mining	Resource Extraction	26.7
Surface Mining	Resource Extraction	26.7
Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permittted)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	25.9
Channel Erosion/Incision From Upstream Hydromodifications	Hydromodification	24.8
Permitted Runoff From Confined Animal Feeding Operations (Cafos)	Agriculture	21.6
Petroleum/Natural Gas Production Activities (Permitted)	Industrial	19.3
Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification	Hydromodification	16.7
Package Plant Or Other Permitted Small Flows Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	16.7
Silviculture Harvesting	Silviculture (Forestry)	16.4
Speciality Crop Production	Agriculture	13.9
Other Spill Related Impacts	Spills/Dumping	13.3
Dairies (Outside Milk Parlor Areas)	Agriculture	12.4
Atmospheric Deposition - Acidity	Atmospheric Deposition	12.3
Combined Sewer Overflows	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	9.8
Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	9.3
Subsurface (Hardrock) Minining	Resource Extraction	9.1
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	8.9
Managed Pasture Grazing	Agriculture	7.0
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	Agriculture	6.5
Coal Mining Discharges (Permitted)	Resource Extraction	5.8
Illicit Connections/Hook-Ups To Storm Sewers	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	3.9
Land Application Of Wastewater Biosolids (Non-Agricultural)	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	3.1
Dam Construction (Other Than Upstream Flood Control Projects)	Hydromodification	2.8
Forest Roads (Road Construction And Use)	Silviculture (Forestry)	2.1
Aquaculture (Permitted)	Aquaculture	1.0
Above Ground Storage Tank Leaks (Tank Farms)	Spills/Dumping	.5
Golf Courses	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	.5

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Tennessee Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Acres

Assessed	531,042.4
Unassessed	7,017.6
Total Acres	538,060.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Acres

Good	416,718.0
Threatened	.0
Impaired	114,324.4
Total Acres Assessed	531,042.4

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Acres

All TMDLs completed	63,931.7
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	.0
TMDL needed	50,392.7
Total Threatened and Impaired	114,324.4

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
Tennessee Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006

* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.

Description of this table

Designated Use	Acres Assessed	Percent Good	Percent Threatened	Percent Impaired	% Good
					% Threatened
					% Impaired
Domestic Water Supply	505,621.7	100.0	.0	.0
Fish And Aquatic Life	531,027.4	96.2	.0	3.8
Industrial Water Supply	431,405.4	100.0	.0	.0
Irrigation	531,042.4	100.0	.0	.0
Livestock Watering And Wildlife	528,933.4	100.0	.0	.0
Navigation	1,790.0	100.0	.0	.0
Recreation	530,347.4	81.0	.0	19.0

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
Tennessee Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	94,927.7
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	18,174.7
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	17,338.7
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	15,640.7
Phosphate	Nutrients	15,500.0
Chlordane	Pesticides	13,684.7
Low Flow Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	11,444.0
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	10,955.0
Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD)	Dioxins	10,370.0
Non-Native Aquatic Plants	Nuisance Exotic Species	4,555.0
Mercury	Mercury	2,336.0
Zinc	Metals (other than Mercury)	2,254.0
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	2,254.0
Iron	Metals (other than Mercury)	2,254.0
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	Pathogens	994.0
Nitrates	Nutrients	125.0
Taste and Odor	Taste, Color and Odor	45.0

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
Tennessee Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2006

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Contaminated Sediments	Legacy/Historical Pollutants	97,181.7
Non-Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	15,712.0
Internal Nutrient Recycling	Natural/Wildlife	15,500.0
Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment)	Construction	10,950.0
Drainage/Filling/Loss Of Wetlands	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	10,950.0
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	3,594.7
Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification	Hydromodification	2,905.0
Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures)	Hydromodification	2,287.7
Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive)	Resource Extraction	2,254.0
Mine Tailings	Resource Extraction	2,254.0
Mill Tailings	Industrial	2,254.0
Discharges From Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Ms4)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	994.0
Combined Sewer Overflows	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	994.0
Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones	Agriculture	606.0
Sources Outside State Juristiction Or Borders	Other	383.0
Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	45.0
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	Agriculture	34.0
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	3.7

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Tennessee Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment Group	Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment
NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. See also Pollution categories summary document (PDF) (20 pp, 557K, About PDF) for brief, non-technical descriptions of general cause categories.
Cause of Impairment Group	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
Ammonia	37.2
Cause Unknown	125.0
Chlorine	1.2
Dioxins	256.1	10,370.0
Flow Alteration(s)	277.8	11,444.0
Habitat Alterations	5,588.4
Mercury	27.1	2,336.0
Metals (other than Mercury)	420.1	2,254.0
Nuisance Exotic Species		4,555.0
Nutrients	2,518.4	15,765.7
Oil and Grease	56.1
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	1,620.8	17,338.7
Pathogens	5,128.4	994.0
Pesticides	247.7	13,684.7
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	382.0	10,955.0
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	299.3	94,927.7
Radiation	13.5
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	53.7
Sediment	5,821.3	18,174.7
Taste, Color and Odor	11.7	45.0
Temperature	98.5
Total Toxics	4.3
Toxic Inorganics	6.7
Toxic Organics	101.0

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Tennessee Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2006

Description of this table

Probable Source Group	Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments
NOTE: Click on the underlined Probable Source Group to see a list of specific state Probable Sources making up the Probable Source Group.
Probable Source Group	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
Agriculture	7,001.2	16,140.0
Aquaculture	1.0
Atmospheric Deposition	12.3
Construction	1,035.0	10,950.0
Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	179.6	10,950.0
Hydromodification	3,601.4	5,192.7
Industrial	346.1	5,848.7
Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	58.2
Legacy/Historical Pollutants	366.3	97,181.7
Military Bases	32.5
Municipal Discharges/Sewage	1,199.2	997.7
Natural/Wildlife		15,500.0
Other	365.7	383.0
Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	.5
Resource Extraction	533.0	2,254.0
Silviculture (Forestry)	16.4
Spills/Dumping	13.8
Unknown	826.5
Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	2,190.4	1,039.0

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Tennessee TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2006

No TMDL Alternatives reported.

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Tennessee Previously 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards

Description of this table

Year Attaining	Number of Waters Attaining	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those previously 303(d)-listed waters now attaining all applicable water quality standards.
2007	6	7
2008	1	2
2012	5	6

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Tennessee Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment Group Name	Number of Causes of Impairment Reported
NOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment.
Habitat Alterations	417
Sediment	411
Pathogens	297
Nutrients	268
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	124
Metals (other than Mercury)	78
Flow Alteration(s)	52
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	43
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	29
Temperature	17
Pesticides	15
Cause Unknown	15
Dioxins	13
Toxic Organics	11
Oil and Grease	8
Ammonia	5
Turbidity	5
Mercury	4
Taste, Color and Odor	4
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	3
Nuisance Exotic Species	3
Radiation	2
Total Toxics	1
Chlorine	1
Toxic Inorganics	1

Total: 1,827 Causes of Impairment

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Tennessee Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant

This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.

Description of this table

Pollutant	Number of TMDLs	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant.
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	541	547
Siltation	342	476
Fecal Coliform	62	62
Other Habitat Alteration(s)	60	61
Nitrogen, Total	41	52
Phosphorus, Total	40	40
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	21	21
Alkalinity	18	19
Carbonaceous Bod	14	15
Iron	12	13
Chlordane	11	21
pH	10	10
Low pH	7	7
Chlordane in Fish Tissue	6	6
Dioxin in Fish Tissue	6	7
Manganese	5	6
Dioxins	4	4
Ammonia, Un-ionized	2	3
Antimony	1	1
Arsenic	1	1
Cadmium	1	1
Copper	1	1
Lead	1	1
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	1	2
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides	1	1
Zinc	1	1

Total: 1,210 TMDLs; 1,379 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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Tennessee Cumulative Number of TMDLs

EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.

Description of this table

Fiscal Year	Number of TMDLs	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year.
1999	1	1
2001	8	8
2002	13	13
2003	51	72
2004	65	66
2005	80	97
2006	319	383
2007	90	100
2008	311	324
2009	101	143
2010	57	57
2011	56	56
2012	58	59

Total: 1,210 TMDLs; 1,379 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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TMDL Document Search

Full Text Search of TMDL Documents

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