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Boone Reservoir

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Ecological health rating

Boone Reservoir rated poor in 2005 monitoring by TVA.

Swimming advisories

The state of Tennessee has not issued any advisories against swimming in Boone Reservoir. There is a bacteriological advisory for a tributary creek.

Fish consumption advisories

The state of Tennessee has issued a precautionary fish consumption advisory for catfish and carp from Boone Reservoir because of PCB and chlordane contamination.  

Related Links

More about Boone Reservoir

Sport fishing ratings
Get the facts on the availability of important sport species.

Spring sportfish survey results
View 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 Boone Reservoir annually from 1991 through 1995 to establish baseline data on the reservoir’s ecological health under a range of weather and flow conditions. Boone is now monitored every other year.

Ecological conditions in Boone Reservoir have rated poor since TVA began monitoring it in 1991. Throughout the years, all indicators have indicated some stress at all sample locations - high levels of chlorophyll, low DO levels, fair fish assemblage, poor bottom life, and the presence of metals and organic contaminants in the sediments.

Boone Reservoir Ecological Health Ratings, 1994-2005

rating chart

Click chart for raw data.

 

The table below shows the ratings for individual ecological health indicators at Boone in 2005. These ratings are briefly explained in the paragraphs that follow.

Ecological Health Indicators at
Boone Reservoir, 2005

Monitoring locations

Dissolved oxygen

Chlorophyll

Fish

Bottom life

Sediment

Forebay
Mid-reservoir (South Holston)
Mid-reservoir (Watauga River)
See definitions of the five ecological health indicators and locations of monitoring sites.

Dissolved oxygen

Dissolved oxygen rated poor at two monitoring locations (near Boone Dam and the South Holston mid-reservoir location) and good at the Watauga mid-reservoir. Dissolved oxygen levels have varied considerably from year to year and from site to site. Weather conditions and the related changes in reservoir flows are a major factor in the differences that arise from year to year. Higher reservoir flows in 2003 resulted in the best overall DO conditions to date; dissolved oxygen rated good at all locations that year.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll levels were elevated at both mid-reservoir sites, rating poor.  Levels were only slightly elevated at the forebay, remaining low enough to rate good. High chlorophyll levels are a common problem on Boone and poor ratings are typical. Chlorophyll rated poor at all locations in 2003.

Fish

As in previous years, the fish community rated fair at all three monitoring locations. TVA did not collect as many species as expected and found relatively few intolerant species (species known to require good water quality conditions).

Bottom life

Bottom life rated poor at both mid-reservoir locations and “low fair” at the forebay. All of the animals collected were species able to tolerate poor water quality conditions. Bottom life typically rates poor at all locations.

Sediment

Sediment quality rated fair at all monitoring locations. Problems with metals and organic contaminants have persisted over the years. Chlordane, a pesticide previously used to control termites and crop pests, was present at all locations, and elevated levels of copper were also present at the Watauga River mid-reservoir site. 

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Swimming advisories

TVA has not issued any swimming advisories for Boone Reservoir.

E. coli bacteria levels in samples collected in 2007 were within the state of Tennessee’s guidelines for water contact with the following exceptions.

  • Jays Dock Boat Ramp: Exceeded the single sample maximum 2 of 10 sampling events
  • Wing Deer Park Swimming Area: Exceeded the single sample maximum 1 or 10 sampling events
  • Bluff City Park Swimming Area: Exceeded the single sample maximum 2 or 10 sampling events
  • Boone “Tract 22R” Boat Ramp: Exceeded the single sample maximum 2 or 10 sampling events

The locations sampled in 2007 were

Site Name

Location

County

State

Boone Dam Reservation Beach

South Holston River Mile 18.7

Washington

TN

Wing Deer Park Swimming Area

Watauga River Mile 10.7

Washington

TN

Bluff City Park Swimming Area

South Fork Holston River Mile 34.5

Sullivan

TN

Jays Dock Boat Ramp

Watauga River Mile 5.5L

Washington

TN

Pickens Bridge Boat Ramp

Watauga River Mile 5.9L

Sullivan

TN

Boone "Tract 22R" Boat Ramp

South Fork Holston River Mile 19.7R

Sullivan

TN

 

The state of Tennessee has bacteriological advisories on Beaver Creek from the Tennessee-Virginia line to Boone Reservoir (20 miles). For more information on the state advisory, go to 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 catfish and carp from Boone Reservoir because of PCB and chlordane contamination. A precautionary advisory means that pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children should not eat the fish species named. All others should limit consumption of the named species to one meal per month.

TVA analyzed tissue from channel catfish and largemouth bass from Boone in the autumn of 2005. The results, which will be provided to state agencies in Tennessee, were similar to those of previous years. TVA will analyze fish from Boone again in the autumn of 2009.

lake photo

Boone Reservoir is located in Sullivan County in the northeast corner of Tennessee.

To see monitoring results for other TVA reservoirs, choose from the list below.

View general information on Boone Reservoir.

 

 

           
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