Reservoir vital signs monitoring, 1990: Physical and chemical characteristics of water and sediments
As part of Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Reservoir Vital Signs Monitoring program, physical/chemical measurements of water and sediment were made in 1990 on twelve TVA reservoirs (the nine main steam Tennessee river reservoirs - Kentucky through Fort Loudoun and three major tributary reservoirs - Cherokee, Douglas, and Norris). The objective of this monitoring program is to assess the health or integrity of these aquatic ecosystems. The physical/chemical water quality data collected in 1990 showed the water quality of these reservoirs to be very good. However, hypolimnetic anoxia during the summer months in Watts bars, Douglas, and Cherokee reservoir continues to be a concern. High concentrations of nutrients were measured in the transition zones of Cherokee and Douglas reservoirs, resulting in highly productive and eutrophic conditions in the transition zones of these reservoirs. Fecal coliform organisms were frequently detected in the forebay area of Guntersville reservoir, and higher than expected ammonia nitrogen concentrations were found at the transition zone of Wheeler reservoir. Elevated concentrations of mercury were found in Pickwick and Watts bar reservoir sediment, and high lead concentrations were found in a sediment sample collected from Guntersville reservoir. A TVA Reservoir Water Quality Index (RWQI) was developed and used to summarize water quality conditions on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).
- Research Organization:
- Tennessee Valley Authority, Chattanooga, TN (United States). Water Quality Dept.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- TVA; Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, TN (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5176693
- Report Number(s):
- TVA/WR/WQ-91/10; ON: DE92015739
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Trophic status evaluation of TVA reservoirs
Reservoir monitoring: 1990 summary of vital signs and use impairment monitoring on Tennessee Valley Reservoirs
Related Subjects
WATER QUALITY
MONITORING
WATER RESERVOIRS
BIPHENYL
COLIFORMS
LEAD
MERCURY
METALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
SEDIMENTS
SOLIDS
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
US ORGANIZATIONS
540350* - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)