On This Page
- Tennessee Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these years: 2002 2004 2006
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
Comparison Summary by Reporting Year
For More Information:
Tennessee Assessment Report
State Water Quality Program
Tennessee 2008 Water Quality Assessment Report
NOTE: The data provided in this report differs slightly from the information provided in the original Tennessee 2008 Integrated Report. This is a result of differences between the Tennessee State assessment database and the summary data provided in Tennessee's 2008 Integrated Report
Tennessee Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table| Size of Water | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
||||||||||||||
| Good Waters | 19,258.6 | 383,880.0 | |||||||||||||
| Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
23.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Threatened Waters | 46.9 | ||||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | 16.9 | ||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | 30.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Impaired Waters | 11,777.5 | 181,925.4 | |||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | 2,694.7 | 6,259.0 | |||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | 119.6 | ||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | 8,963.3 | 175,666.4 | |||||||||||||
| New TMDLs completed | 813.2 | .0 | |||||||||||||
| Remaining TMDLs needed | 8,150.1 | 175,666.4 | |||||||||||||
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| Total Assessed Waters | 31,083.0 | 565,805.4 | |||||||||||||
| Total Waters | 61,075.0 | 538,060.0 | |||||||||||||
| Percent of Waters Assessed | 50.9 | 105.2 | |||||||||||||
Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2008
Tennessee Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
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Tennessee Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008*
* 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Water Supply | 3,381.3 | 99.3 | .0 | .7 | |
| Fish And Aquatic Life | 30,467.7 | 69.7 | .2 | 30.1 | |
| Industrial Water Supply | 3,225.3 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Irrigation | 30,936.9 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Livestock Watering And Wildlife | 30,961.5 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Naturally Reproducing Trout Stream | 275.3 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Recreation | 15,401.2 | 60.6 | .0 | 39.4 |
Tennessee Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) | Pathogens | |
| Sedimentation/Siltation | Sediment | |
| Physical Substrate Habitat Alterations | Habitat Alterations | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Alteration in Stream-Side or Littoral Vegetative Covers | Habitat Alterations | |
| Nitrates | Nutrients | |
| Phosphate | Nutrients | |
| Other Anthropogenic Substrate Alterations | Habitat Alterations | |
| Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N) | Nutrients | |
| pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | |
| Low Flow Alterations | Flow Alteration(s) | |
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | |
| Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators | Nutrients | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) | Dioxins | |
| Mercury | Mercury | |
| Chlordane | Pesticides | |
| Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Cause Unknown | Cause Unknown | |
| Manganese | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Temperature, Water | Temperature | |
| Lead | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Arsenic | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| RDX (Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,2,5-Triazine | Toxic Organics | |
| Oil and Grease | Oil and Grease | |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Ammonia, Un-ionized | Ammonia | |
| Sulfates | Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | |
| Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Aquatic Ecosystems) | Toxic Organics | |
| Chloride | Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | |
| Solids (Suspended/Bedload) | Sediment | |
| Strontium | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Creosote | Toxic Organics | |
| Odor Threshold Number | Taste, Color and Odor | |
| Sulfide-Hydrogen Sulfide | Toxic Inorganics | |
| Cesium | Radiation | |
| Color | Taste, Color and Odor | |
| Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) | Total Toxics | |
| Chromium, Hexavalent | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Chlorine | Chlorine | |
| Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) | Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | |
| Toluene | Toxic Organics |
Tennessee Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones | Agriculture | |
| Channelization | Hydromodification | |
| Non-Irrigated Crop Production | Agriculture | |
| Discharges From Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Ms4) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | |
| Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment) | Construction | |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Sanitary Sewer Overflows (Collection System Failures) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive) | Resource Extraction | |
| Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures) | Hydromodification | |
| Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Contaminated Sediments | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | |
| Unrestricted Cattle Access | Agriculture | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Sources Outside State Jurisdiction Or Borders | Other | |
| Animal Feeding Operations (Nps) | Agriculture | |
| Dredging (E.G., For Navigation Channels) | Hydromodification | |
| Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics | Atmospheric Deposition | |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | |
| Rcra Hazardous Waste Sites | Industrial | |
| Loss Of Riparian Habitat | Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | |
| Sand/Gravel/Rock Mining Or Quarries | Resource Extraction | |
| Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrastructure (New Construction) | Construction | |
| Streambank Modifications/Destabilization | Hydromodification | |
| Coal Mining Discharges (Permitted) | Resource Extraction | |
| Silviculture Harvesting | Silviculture (Forestry) | |
| Landfills | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | |
| Mill Tailings | Industrial | |
| Nps Pollution From Military Base Facilities (Other Than Port Facilities) | Military Bases | |
| Mine Tailings | Resource Extraction | |
| Cercla Npl (Superfund) Sites | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | |
| Irrigated Crop Production | Agriculture | |
| Dredge Mining | Resource Extraction | |
| Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permitted) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Channel Erosion/Incision From Upstream Hydromodifications | Hydromodification | |
| Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Permitted Runoff From Confined Animal Feeding Operations (Cafos) | Agriculture | |
| Package Plant Or Other Permitted Small Flows Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification | Hydromodification | |
| Specialty Crop Production | Agriculture | |
| Other Spill Related Impacts | Spills/Dumping | |
| Dairies (Outside Milk Parlor Areas) | Agriculture | |
| Atmospheric Deposition - Acidity | Atmospheric Deposition | |
| Combined Sewer Overflows | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Land Application Of Wastewater Biosolids (Non-Agricultural) | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | |
| Subsurface (Hardrock) Mining | Resource Extraction | |
| Leaking Underground Storage Tanks | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | |
| Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations) | Agriculture | |
| Surface Mining | Resource Extraction | |
| Illicit Connections/Hook-Ups To Storm Sewers | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Off-Road Vehicles | Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating) | |
| Aquaculture (Permitted) | Aquaculture | |
| Forest Roads (Road Construction And Use) | Silviculture (Forestry) | |
| Petroleum/Natural Gas Production Activities (Permitted) | Industrial | |
| Manure Runoff | Agriculture | |
| Above Ground Storage Tank Leaks (Tank Farms) | Spills/Dumping | |
| Golf Courses | Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating) |
Tennessee Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
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Tennessee Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008*
* 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Water Supply | 526,863.7 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Fish And Aquatic Life | 563,904.4 | 92.8 | .0 | 7.2 | |
| Industrial Water Supply | 428,976.4 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Irrigation | 563,904.4 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Livestock Watering And Wildlife | 561,795.4 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Navigation | 1,971.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Recreation | 565,125.4 | 70.2 | .0 | 29.8 |
Tennessee Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Mercury | Mercury | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Temperature, Water | Temperature | |
| Sedimentation/Siltation | Sediment | |
| Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators | Nutrients | |
| Chlordane | Pesticides | |
| Low Flow Alterations | Flow Alteration(s) | |
| Dioxin (Including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) | Dioxins | |
| Aquatic Plants - Native | Nuisance Native Species | |
| Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) | Pathogens | |
| Taste and Odor | Taste, Color and Odor |
Tennessee Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Contaminated Sediments | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | |
| Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics | Atmospheric Deposition | |
| Industrial Thermal Discharges | Industrial | |
| Non-Irrigated Crop Production | Agriculture | |
| Internal Nutrient Recycling | Natural/Wildlife | |
| Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment) | Construction | |
| Drainage/Filling/Loss Of Wetlands | Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | |
| Sources Outside State Jurisdiction Or Borders | Other | |
| Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures) | Hydromodification | |
| Mill Tailings | Industrial | |
| Mine Tailings | Resource Extraction | |
| Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive) | Resource Extraction | |
| Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones | Agriculture | |
| Sanitary Sewer Overflows (Collection System Failures) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Discharges From Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Ms4) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Combined Sewer Overflows | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Animal Feeding Operations (Nps) | Agriculture | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage |
Tennessee Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
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| Ammonia | 43.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Cause Unknown | 164.4 | ||||||||||||||
| Chlorine | 3.3 | ||||||||||||||
| Dioxins | 256.1 | 10,370.0 | |||||||||||||
| Flow Alteration(s) | 378.5 | 11,444.0 | |||||||||||||
| Habitat Alterations | 5,631.9 | ||||||||||||||
| Mercury | 253.0 | 66,461.0 | |||||||||||||
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 486.5 | 2,254.0 | |||||||||||||
| Nuisance Native Species | 4,550.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Nutrients | 2,425.4 | 15,635.7 | |||||||||||||
| Oil and Grease | 56.1 | ||||||||||||||
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 1,794.4 | 37,978.7 | |||||||||||||
| Pathogens | 5,673.7 | 2,044.0 | |||||||||||||
| Pesticides | 247.7 | 14,030.7 | |||||||||||||
| pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 409.6 | ||||||||||||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 299.3 | 95,595.7 | |||||||||||||
| Radiation | 5.3 | ||||||||||||||
| Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | 54.7 | ||||||||||||||
| Sediment | 5,542.7 | 18,174.7 | |||||||||||||
| Taste, Color and Odor | 11.7 | 45.0 | |||||||||||||
| Temperature | 104.6 | 20,459.0 | |||||||||||||
| Total Toxics | 4.3 | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic Inorganics | 6.7 | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic Organics | 101.6 | ||||||||||||||
Tennessee Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| 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 | Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
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| Agriculture | 7,019.9 | 17,065.0 | |||||||||||||
| Aquaculture | 2.7 | ||||||||||||||
| Atmospheric Deposition | 186.9 | 66,320.0 | |||||||||||||
| Construction | 1,012.1 | 10,950.0 | |||||||||||||
| Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | 118.6 | 10,950.0 | |||||||||||||
| Hydromodification | 3,775.1 | 2,468.7 | |||||||||||||
| Industrial | 327.6 | 31,479.7 | |||||||||||||
| Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | 65.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Legacy/Historical Pollutants | 366.3 | 97,849.7 | |||||||||||||
| Military Bases | 35.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 1,299.2 | 2,047.7 | |||||||||||||
| Natural/Wildlife | 15,500.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Other | 220.7 | 4,757.0 | |||||||||||||
| Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating) | 4.4 | ||||||||||||||
| Resource Extraction | 621.7 | 2,254.0 | |||||||||||||
| Silviculture (Forestry) | 52.3 | ||||||||||||||
| Spills/Dumping | 13.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Unknown | 1,010.4 | ||||||||||||||
| Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | 2,326.9 | 1,039.0 | |||||||||||||
Tennessee TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2008
No TMDL Alternatives reported.
Tennessee Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those waters now attaining all uses. | ||
| Cycle Attaining | Number of Waters Attaining | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 6 | |
| 2008 | 2 | |
Tennessee Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
Description of this table| 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. | |
| Cause of Impairment Group Name | Number of Causes of Impairment Reported |
|---|---|
| Habitat Alterations | |
| Sediment | |
| Nutrients | |
| Pathogens | |
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | |
| Mercury | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Temperature | |
| Cause Unknown | |
| Dioxins | |
| Pesticides | |
| Toxic Organics | |
| Oil and Grease | |
| Ammonia | |
| Turbidity | |
| Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | |
| Taste, Color and Odor | |
| Nuisance Native Species | |
| Radiation | |
| Toxic Inorganics | |
| Chlorine | |
| Total Toxics | |
Total: 1,594 Causes of Impairment
Tennessee Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.
Description of this table| 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. | ||
| Pollutant | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) | 401 | |
| Siltation | 476 | |
| Fecal Coliform | 62 | |
| Other Habitat Alteration(s) | 61 | |
| Nitrogen, Total | 52 | |
| Phosphorus, Total | 40 | |
| Carbonaceous Bod | 15 | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 13 | |
| Iron | 13 | |
| pH | 10 | |
| Chlordane | 18 | |
| Low pH | 7 | |
| Alkalinity | 7 | |
| Chlordane in Fish Tissue | 6 | |
| Dioxin in Fish Tissue | 7 | |
| Manganese | 6 | |
| Ammonia, Un-ionized | 3 | |
| Antimony | 1 | |
| Arsenic | 1 | |
| Cadmium | 1 | |
| Copper | 1 | |
| Dioxins | 1 | |
| Lead | 1 | |
| PCB(s) in Fish Tissue | 2 | |
| Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides | 1 | |
| Zinc | 1 | |
Total: 1,039 TMDLs; 1,207 Causes of Impairment Addressed
Tennessee Cumulative Number of TMDLs
EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year. | ||
| Fiscal Year | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 8 | |
| 2002 | 13 | |
| 2003 | 72 | |
| 2004 | 66 | |
| 2005 | 97 | |
| 2006 | 383 | |
| 2007 | 100 | |
| 2008 | 324 | |
| 2009 | 143 | |
Total: 1,039 TMDLs; 1,207 Causes of Impairment Addressed
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