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Nottely Reservoir

Ecological health rating

The ecological health of Nottely Reservoir rated poor in 2009. Nottely typically rates poor due to low ratings for dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, and bottom life. Ratings for these indicators improved in 2001, rating at the upper end of their historic range and resulting in a higher overall health rating of fair. However, subsequent monitoring indicates that the improvements were only a temporary result of the unusual rainfall and reservoir flow patterns in 2001.

TVA monitors two locations on Nottely Reservoir—the deep, still water near the dam, called the forebay, and the middle part of the reservoir—usually on a two-year cycle.

Nottely Reservoir Ecological Health Ratings, 1994-2009

rating chart

Click chart for raw data.  

 

The table below shows the ratings for individual ecological health indicators at Nottely in 2009. These ratings are briefly explained in the paragraphs that follow.

Ecological Health Indicators at
Nottely Reservoir, 2009

Monitoring
locations

Dissolved oxygen

Chlorophyll

Fish

Bottom life

Sediment

Forebay
Mid-reservoir

Dissolved oxygen

Dissolved oxygen rated poor at both the forebay and mid-reservoir monitoring locations. A large proportion of the water column contained low dissolved oxygen concentrations during mid-to- late summer at these locations. This is similar to all previous years, except 2001 when oxygen concentrations were significantly higher at the forebay and rated good, and 2005 when significant rain events in late summer helped replenish oxygen in the upper reaches of the reservoir, resulting in a fair rating at the mid-reservoir location. Although dissolved oxygen typically rates poor at both locations, the extent and duration of low dissolved oxygen has varied in response to the timing and amount of rainfall.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll rated fair at the forebay and poor at the mid-reservoir monitoring location.  A poor rating is typical at the mid-reservoir location, but ratings at the forebay have varied between good, fair and poor. As with dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll concentrations have varied in response to the timing and amount of rainfall. However, average chlorophyll concentrations have shown a general trend of increasing at the mid-reservoir location since TVA began monitoring Nottely in the early 1990s.

Fish

As in previous years, the fish community rated fair at the forebay monitoring location, because the number and variety of fish sampled were slightly less than expected.  The mid-reservoir location received its first good rating.  In all other years monitored, the fish community at this location has rated fair, although ratings often were at the upper end of the fair range.  The improved rating at the mid-reservoir was because more species were collected including intolerant species (those most sensitive to degraded water quality or habitat conditions).

Bottom life

Bottom life rated fair at both locations.  Slightly higher density and diversity of animals were found at the mid-reservoir, but the animals collected at both locations were predominantly those tolerant of poor conditions. Bottom life typically rates poor or fair at the forebay and fair or good at the mid-reservoir location. 

Sediment

Sediment quality rated good at the forebay and fair at the mid-reservoir  location. At the forebay, no pesticides or PCBs were detected, and concentrations of metals were within expected background levels.  Copper was slightly above expected background levels at the mid-reservoir. A good rating is typical, although sediment quality also rated fair at the mid-reservoir in 1995 because low levels of DDE were detected. DDE is a breakdown product of DDT. DDT entered the environment when it was used as a pesticide.

 

See definitions of ecological health indicators and monitoring locations.

 

Fish consumption advisories

Nottely Reservoir - TVA maintains a program to examine contaminants in fish fillets from TVA reservoirs and their major tributary streams on a rotational basis.  The data collected from this program is 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 Nottely Reservoir, visit the Environmental Protection Division of Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ web page. http://www.gaepd.org/Documents/fish_guide.html

 

 

map to apalachia

Nottely Reservoir is located in Union County in north Georgia.

 

More about Nottely

Sport fishing ratings

Spring sportfish survey results

General information

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

 

 

           
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