Tellico Reservoir

Dissolved oxygen

Dissolved oxygen rated good at the mid-reservoir location and poor at the forebay due to low concentrations near the bottom of the reservoir. Dissolved oxygen ratings at the forebay have fluctuated between good, fair, and poor. Weather conditions and related changes in reservoir flows are a major factor in the differences that arise from year to year. Dissolved oxygen has consistently rated good at the mid-reservoir location.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll rated poor at both monitoring locations. Higher chlorophyll levels can be expected at the forebay monitoring location because of the exchange of water from the chlorophyll-rich forebay of Fort Loudoun Reservoir via the canal connecting the two reservoirs. However, concentrations were higher than expected at the mid-reservoir location given the nutrient-poor soils in the upstream watershed. The average summer chlorophyll concentration at this site has trended upward since the early 1990s.

Fish

The fish community rated fair at both monitoring locations. The fair rating is typical for this indicator because of reduced species diversity and density.

Bottom life

As in previous years, bottom life rated poor at both monitoring locations because few animals were found and most were capable of tolerating poor conditions. Sporadic low dissolved oxygen levels and cold bottom water are likely contributing factors.

Sediment

Sediment quality rated good at both monitoring locations. Sediment quality rated good in most previous years because no pesticides or PCBs were detected, and concentrations of metals were within expected background levels. The exceptions were 2001 and 2005 when slightly elevated concentrations of arsenic were found in the forebay, resulting in a fair rating for this location.

See definitions of ecological health indicators and monitoring locations.