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Watauga Reservoir

Ecological Health Rating

The ecological health condition of Watauga Reservoir rated “good” in 2021. Historically, ecological health ratings have fluctuated within the “good” and “fair” range. The score of 60 in 1998 was the lowest recorded for Watauga. This was the result of several indicators concurrently scoring at the lower end of their historical ranges, rather than of a substantial change in any indicator.

The ecological health of Watauga Reservoir has been monitored using the same methodology since 1994. Ecological health evaluations focus on five indicators: dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, sediment quality, benthic macroinvertebrate community (bottom life), and fish assemblage. TVA monitors two locations on Watauga Reservoir — the deep, still water near the dam, called the forebay (Watauga River Mile 37.4), and the middle part of the reservoir, called the mid-reservoir (Watauga River Mile 45.5).

Ecological Health Ratings for Watauga Reservoir 1994-2021

 

To view or export the data, click on the menu in the top-right corner of the chart.

Ecological Health Score Ranges:
 

 >72 = Good

 

 59-72 = Fair

 

 <59 = Poor

Ecological Health Indicators for Watauga Reservoir - 2021

Monitoring locationDissolved
oxygen
ChlorophyllFishBottom
life

Sediment
ForebayFairGoodGoodGoodGood*
Mid-reservoirPoorFairGoodFairGood*

*Sediment quality was assessed based on monitoring results from 1994 through 2018.

Dissolved oxygen

Dissolved oxygen rated “fair” at the forebay and “poor” at the mid-reservoir. Ratings were reduced at both locations because oxygen concentrations were low (<2 mg/L) along the reservoir bottom during some sample periods. Dissolved oxygen typically rates “good” or “fair” at the forebay and “poor” at the mid-reservoir location. However, dissolved oxygen rated “good” at the mid-reservoir in 2004 and 2010. Although low dissolved oxygen was present in the lower water column those years, only a small area was affected. 

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll concentrations rated “good” at the forebay and “high fair” at the mid-reservoir. Historically, chlorophyll has rated “good” at both monitoring locations. 

Fish

The fish community in 2021 rated “good” at both monitoring locations. The fish community has consistently rated “good” at the mid-reservoir, and “good’ or at the upper end of the “fair” range at the forebay. The fish assemblage in Watauga Reservoir is characterized by moderate species diversity and low overall fish abundance. A total of twenty-two species were observed in 2021. Fish health was assessed a “good” rating with low incidences of disease and parasites.

Bottom life

Bottom life in 2021 rated “good” at the forebay and “fair” at the mid-reservoir. Historically, bottom life has rated “fair” or “poor” at both locations because relatively few organisms were found in the samples, and most are species able to tolerate a wide range of conditions. The higher rating (“good”) at the forebay location in 2021 was attributable to an increase in the number and variety of organism collected, suggesting there was a subtle improvement in bottom life at this location. However, tolerant species continued to make up the largest percentage of the community.

Sediment

Sediment samples were not collected from Watauga Reservoir in 2021. Sediment quality was assigned a “good” rating at both locations based on monitoring results from 1994 through 2018. Since 2006, sediment quality has rated “good” at both monitoring locations. In prior years, the sediments at the mid-reservoir rated “fair” because samples contained low levels of chlordane, a pesticide previously used to control termites and crop pests. Chlordane also was detected in the sediments at the forebay location in 1993 and 1998.

Fish consumption advisories

TVA maintains a program to examine contaminants in fillets of fish collected from TVA reservoirs and their major tributary streams on a rotational basis. The data collected from this program are distributed to the state officials who are responsible for placing or removing fish tissue consumption advisories on those bodies of water. For information on advisories currently in effect for Watauga Reservoir, visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency.