Boone Reservoir

Ecological health rating

As in previous years, ecological conditions in Boone Reservoir rated poor. Throughout the years, all indicators have indicated some stress at all sample locations: high concentrations of chlorophyll, low dissolved oxygen concentrations, fair fish assemblage, poor bottom life, and the presence of metals and organic contaminants in the sediments.

TVA monitors three locations on Boone Reservoir—the deep, still water near the dam, called the forebay, and two mid-reservoir locations—usually on a two-year cycle.

Boone Reservoir Ecological Health Ratings, 1994-2007

Click chart for raw data.

The table below shows the ratings for individual ecological health indicators at Boone in 2007. These ratings are briefly explained in the paragraphs that follow.

Monitoring locations	Dissolved oxygen	Chlorophyll	Fish	Bottom life	Sediment
Ecological Health Indicators at Boone Reservoir, 2007
Forebay	Poor	Fair	Fair	Poor	Good
Mid-reservoir (South Holston)	Poor	Poor	Fair	Fair	Fair
Mid-reservoir (Watauga River)	Good	Poor	Fair	Poor	Fair
Dissolved oxygen Dissolved oxygen rated poor at the forebay and South Holston mid-reservoir monitoring locations and good at the Watauga mid-reservoir location. Dissolved oxygen concentrations 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 these differences. Chlorophyll Chlorophyll concentrations were elevated at both mid-reservoir monitoring locations, rating poor. Concentrations also were elevated at the forebay, but concentrations remained low enough to rate good. High chlorophyll concentrations are a common problem on Boone, typically rating poor or at the low end of the fair range. 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 the forebay and Watauga mid-reservoir locations and at the low end of the fair range at the South Holston mid-reservoir location. Most of the animals collected were species able to tolerate poor water quality conditions. Bottom life has rated poor or at the low end of the fair range at all locations in previous years. Sediment Sediment quality rated good at the forebay and fair at the two mid-reservoir locations. Problems with metals and organic contaminants have persisted over the years. As in previous years, chlordane, a pesticide previously used to control termites and crop pests, was present in the sediments at both mid-reservoir locations, and elevated levels of copper were present at the Watauga River mid-reservoir site. Chlordane was not detected in the sediments collected at the forebay for the first time since monitoring began, resulting in the good rating. See definitions of ecological health indicators and monitoring locations.

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.