Tennessee Valley Authority
Nickajack Reservoir
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Ecological health rating
Nickajack Reservoir rated good in 2005 monitoring by TVA.
Swimming advisories
The state of Tennessee has not issued any advisories against swimming in Nickajack Reservoir. Several swimming advisories are in effect on tributary streams.
Fish consumption advisories
The state of Tennessee has issued a precautionary fish consumption advisory for channel catfish from Nickajack Reservoir because of PCB contamination. No one should eat fish from Chattanooga Creek because of elevated PCB and chlordane levels.
Related Links
More about Nickajack Reservoir
Sport fishing ratingsGet the facts on the availability of important sport species.
Spring sportfish survey resultsView the results from TVA’s latest black bass population survey.
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 Nickajack Reservoir annually from 1991 through 1995 to establish baseline data on the reservoir’s ecological health under a range of weather and flow conditions. Nickajack is now monitored every other year.
As in previous years, Nickajack Reservoir rated good in 2005. The ecological health score for Nickajack has consistently been among the highest of all the reservoirs monitored by TVA. Nickajack is a small, narrow reservoir with a short retention time; that is, it usually takes only three or four days for water to flow through the reservoir. That helps keep the water mixed, preventing it from stratifying (separating into layers of different temperatures) during the summer. This allows oxygen in the lower water column to be replenished and limits algal productivity (chlorophyll).
Nickajack Reservoir Ecological Health Ratings, 1994-2005
Click chart for raw data.
The table below shows the ratings for individual ecological health indicators at Nickajack in 2005. These ratings are briefly explained in the paragraphs that follow.
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Dissolved oxygen
Dissolved oxygen rated good at the forebay.
Chlorophyll
As in previous years, chlorophyll levels rated good.
Fish
As in previous years, the fish community rated a “high fair” at the forebay sample site and good at the inflow.
Bottom life
As in previous years, bottom life rated good at both monitoring locations.
Sediment quality
Sediment quality rated good in 2005. No pesticides or PCBs were detected, and concentrations of metals were within the expected background levels. Sediment quality also rated good in 2001 and 2003, compared to fair in most previous years when low levels of PCBs were found in samples collected near Nickajack Dam.
Swimming advisories
TVA has not issued any swimming advisories for Nickajack Reservoir.
E. coli bacteria levels in samples collected in 2007 were within the state of Tennessee’s guidelines for water contact.
The sites sampled in 2007 are:
Site Name |
Location |
County |
State |
|---|---|---|---|
Maple View Beach |
Tennessee River Mile 425.3L |
Marion |
TN |
Shellmound Day Use Area Beach |
Tennessee River Mile 425.4R |
Marion |
TN |
Camp-on-Lake Beach |
Tennessee River Mile 429.6L |
Marion |
TN |
Marion County Park Beach |
Tennessee River Mile 429.6R |
Marion |
TN |
The state of Tennessee has bacteriological advisories on three tributary streams that flow into Nickajack Reservoir: Chattanooga Creek (mouth to Ga. line 7.7 miles), Stringer’s Branch (mile 0.0 to 5.4), and Citico Creek (mouth to headwaters 7.3 miles). More information about state advisories can be obtained at this site: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Fishing and Bacteriological Advisories.
Fish consumption advisories
The state of Tennessee has issued a precautionary fish consumption advisory for channel catfish from Nickajack Reservoir because of PCB contamination. A precautionary advisory means that pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children should not eat the contaminated fish. All others should limit their consumption of the named species to no more than one meal per month. Additionally, the state has issued an advisory that fish from Chattanooga Creek, a tributary stream of Nickajack, should not be eaten because of elevated PCB and chlordane levels.
TVA collected channel catfish, striped bass, and largemouth bass from Nickajack Reservoir for tissue analysis in fall 2005. The results, which were similar to those of previous years, will be provided to state agencies in Tennessee. TVA will analyze fish from Nickajack Reservoir again in autumn 2007.
