Inadequate Water Resource Management
Regional growth is good for the economy, but if not done responsibly it will have detrimental impacts on the lands, water, and wildlife that draw many people to Tennessee. The health and abundance of Tennessee’s waterways is worth taking the time and resources to plan and monitor regularly.
Water is Everywhere
There are more than 60,000 miles of streams and rivers and more than 580,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs in Tennessee, providing habitat for fish and wildlife; drinking water for people, wildlife, and livestock; irrigation for agricultural land; recreation opportunities; and much more. Every acre of Tennessee is within a watershed, meaning water from every corner of the state drains into a river, stream, or other outlet and can have downstream impacts.
Tennessee is one of the most biodiverse states, but population growth and city expansion is threatening that biodiversity. Effectively managing water resources is crucial to protecting wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.
As a nation, we have long understood the value of healthy and abundant water. For the past 40-plus years, our citizens and our public policies have recognized that in order to have healthy and abundant water we must fix the problems we have created, namely reversing the destruction of our country’s streams, rivers, and wetlands.
Under the Clean Water Act, Tennessee’s waterways are regularly monitored to assess their functionality, pollution levels, and more. As of May 2022, less than half of the streams and rivers in Tennessee have been assessed. Of those assessed, more than 17,000 miles of Tennessee’s streams and rivers are classified as impaired, meaning they are not able to support at least one of their designated uses. Over 40% of assessed lakes and reservoirs are impaired.
In the last decade, Tennessee Wildlife Federation has played integral roles in multiple threats to the health of Tennessee’s waterways—including preventing wastewater dumping in the Hatchie River in 2015, managing water withdrawals from the Duck River in 2022, and an ongoing wastewater discharge issue involving Lick Creek. While these were major issues that caught the public’s attention, similar problems are occurring in countless creeks, streams, and rivers across the state.
Tennessee’s public waterways should not be taken for granted. As water needs continue to increase, it is imperative that Tennessee’s waters are proactively managed to prevent losing these essential resources.
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Conservation Groups File to Defend Longstanding Clean Water Protections
Clearer, more consistent clean water protections for streams, fisheries, and wetlands that provide habitat and protect communities from storms are at stake.
Wildlife Crossing Efforts in Great Smoky Mountains
On average, more than 28,000 vehicles travel on I-40 between Tennessee and North Carolina every day. This interstate cuts through incredible wildlife habitat in the Great Smoky Mountains. Wildlife are either restricted to one side of the highway or have to find a way to cross it to access essential resources such as food, water, mating sites, and cover.
Water Planning Requires a Regional Approach
Imagine: it’s early fall. The sun is shining. You’re driving west from Middle Tennessee. As you get beyond the cities, you look out the window at the landscape. Trees, a mix of greens and yellows and oranges, are all around. The trees begin to give way to openings with towering stalks of corn and vast fields of soybeans. The land is at its most fruitful—and it brings you a sense of peace.