Tennessee Valley Authority
Blue Ridge Reservoir
Contents of this page
Ecological health rating
Blue Ridge Reservoir rated good in 2005 monitoring by TVA.
Swimming advisories
The state of Georgia has not issued any advisories against swimming in Blue Ridge Reservoir or the Taccoa River.
Fish consumption advisories
The state of Georgia has issued a fish consumption advisory for Blue Ridge because of mercury contamination.
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More about Blue Ridge Reservoir
Sport
fishing ratings
Get
the facts on the availability of important sport species.
General information
Monitoring
river conditions
Find
out how TVA evaluates the river system’s ecological health
and suitability for human use.
Ecological health rating
TVA monitored Blue Ridge Reservoir annually from 1991 through 1995 to establish baseline data on the reservoir’s ecological health under a range of weather and flow conditions. Blue Ridge is now monitored every other year.
As in previous years, the ecological health of Blue Ridge rated good in 2005. Its rating has consistently been among the highest of all the reservoirs monitored by TVA.
Blue Ridge Reservoir Ecological Health Ratings, 1994-2005
Click chart for raw data.
The table below shows the ratings for individual ecological health indicators at Blue Ridge in 2005. These ratings are briefly explained in the paragraphs that follow.
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Dissolved oxygen
Dissolved oxygen rated good in 2005, the same as in most previous years. Dissolved oxygen rated a “high fair” in 1995 and 1997 due to a small area of low DO near bottom.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll rated poor, a result of elevated chlorophyll levels throughout the year. Chlorophyll levels are typically low in Blue Ridge Reservoir, resulting in good ratings for this indicator.
Fish
The fish community rated good. The fish assemblage has rated either good or fair over the years with no specific trend through time
Bottom life
Bottom life rated poor in 2005. Ratings have fluctuated from good to poor with no specific trend through time. Poor ratings have resulted from fewer individuals being collected, with noticeable declines in the number of mayflies
Sediment
Sediment quality rated good because no pesticides or PCBs were detected, and concentrations of metals were within expected background levels.
Swimming advisories
TVA has not issued any swimming advisories for Beech Reservoir.
E. coli bacteria levels in samples collected in 2007 were within the state of Tennessee’s guidelines for water contact
The locations sampled in 2007 were:
| Site Name | Location | County / State |
| Lake Blue Ridge Recreation Area (USFS) Boat Ramp | Taccoa River Mile 56.3L | Fannin / GA |
| Morganton Point (USFS) Recreation Area Swim Site | Taccoa River Mile 55.8R | Fannin / GA |
Fish consumption advisories
A fish consumption advisory is in effect for Blue Ridge Reservoir because of mercury contamination. The state of Georgia advises people not to eat more than one meal a week of channel catfish greater than 16 inches long or white bass or largemouth bass between 12 and 16 inches long from Blue Ridge.
TVA collected channel catfish and largemouth bass from the reservoir for tissue analysis in fall 2005. The results, which were similar to those of previous years, will be provided to state agencies in Georgia. TVA will analyze fish from Blue Ridge again in the autumn of 2009.
