Effects of aeration and minimum flow enhancement on the biota of Norris tailwater

Technical Report · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5626414

Yeager, B L; Seawell, W M; Alexander, C M; Hill, D M; Wallus, R

In the Clinch River in east Tennessee, releases from Norris Dam had dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations as low as 1 mg/L. TVA Launched a Reservoir Releases Improvement Program in 1980 to increase DO during the warmer months of the year and to provide a minimum flow in the Norris Dam tailwaters. Turbine venting increased minimum DO in the releases by 0.7 mg/L in 1981 and 2-3 mg/L in 1982-1985. A flow reregulation weir was installed in 1984 two miles below Norris Dam and provides a minimum flow of 200 cfs downstream. This report details the effects of aeration, increased minimum flow, and other factors on the trout fishery and macroinvertebrates of Norris tailwater. As a result, fishing effort, catch rate and harvest of trout increased significantly during the past 5 years; more stable and aesthetically pleasing flow conditions were established, and the State of Tennessee maintained a strong trout stocking program to meet the increased popularity of the stream following TVA efforts to improve fishery conditions. While aeration has improved the condition (plumpness) of trout somewhat during late summer and fall, the fish continue to show some effects of stress when DO levels fall below about 6 mg/L. 23 refs., 12 figs., 27 tabs.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville (USA). Div. of Air and Water Resources
• OSTI ID: 5626414
• Report Number(s): TVA/ONRED/AWR-87/41; ON: DE88900175
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
130600* -- Hydro Energy-- Environmental Aspects
AERATION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CLINCH RIVER
DAMS
DISSOLVED GASES
ELECTRIC POWER
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FISHES
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
INVERTEBRATES
MITIGATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
POWER
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RIVERS
SOLUTES
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
TROUT
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERTEBRATES