60% of Tennessee’s rivers too polluted to swim in, study finds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Every summer, the sweltering Tennessee heat draws millions of people to lakes and rivers across the state as they cool down and enjoy the natural beauty.

However, water quality remains a major public health concern across much of the United States. Data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlights the issue, with a recent analysis showing many of Tennessee’s lakes and rivers are considered too polluted for recreational activities like swimming and fishing.

In their analysis, researchers with Captain Experiences , a fishing and hunting guide reservation platform, looked at the EPA’s Clean Water Act ATTAINS data to determine which states have the worst water quality for recreational activities.

The results are based on the total mileage of waters that have been assessed for pollutants and the number of untreated waters that have been polluted by various sources such as industrial waste, sewage, or agricultural runoff, making them unsuitable for recreational usage.

Under the Clean Water Act, states are required to identify polluted waters every two years and to take actions to reduce the contamination. However, the most recent figures show that only 19 states have assessed even half of both their lakes and rivers, according to the study.

Assessing Tennessee’s lakes and rivers

Tennessee has assessed most of its lakes, ponds and reservoirs at about 93.6%, but where the state appears to fall short is in assessing creeks, rivers and streams. According to researchers, 26.7% of the state’s creeks, rivers and streams have been tested for contaminants.

Of those areas, which make up 16,710 miles of water, nearly 60% are considered too polluted for activities like swimming. Data shows that close to half of the state’s lakes are impaired by pollutants at about 46.5%. The study does not name specific bodies of water.

Officials were taking notice of increasing pollution in Tennessee’s waterways even two years ago, with Dorie Bolze, the President and CEO of the Harpeth Conservancy, telling News 2, “It’s getting worse, not better.” At the time, Bolze said 55% of Tennessee’s streams and rivers were considered impaired by the state.

Researchers with Captain Experiences noted that rivers, creeks and streams can be more difficult to assess than larger bodies of water because many are ephemeral, intermittent or tidal.

Nationally, by milage, only 37.3% of rivers, creeks and streams have been assessed for pollutants. Of those, 42.2% were found to be unsuitable for swimming. An even higher percentage of the nation’s lakes, ponds and reservoirs are considered polluted at just a little over 70%.

Which states have the worst and best water quality

When it comes to lakes, reservoirs and similar bodies of water, states in the Southwest tend to have the least contaminated waters. Less than 1% of waters in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas are considered impaired, and all three states have assessed at least two-thirds of those waters.

West Virginia has the largest share of recreational lake acreage that is considered too polluted for swimming or fishing at about 91.6%. However, researchers said only 15.2% of lake waters in the state have been assessed, leaving over 20,000 acres uncertain.

Colorado, Arkansas and Vermont have some of the cleanest rivers, with less than 4% impaired and nearly 86% of all river mileage assessed. Hawaii has assessed only a small portion of its rivers, creeks and streams, but all 470 miles are considered polluted.

Much of the contamination seen in these states and in spots across Tennessee can be attributed to agricultural runoff, according to the study. Some streams and lakes are also contaminated by fertilizer runoff from golf courses and fecal bacteria from septic tanks.

Researchers with Captain Experiences said nonpoint source pollution like agricultural runoff, which is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over the ground and carrying away pollutants, can be difficult to trace and is thinly regulated by the Clean Water Act.

Complications from contaminated waters

Pathogens from water pollution carry health risks for swimmers and local wildlife. Swimming in contaminated waters can lead to complications such as gastrointestinal discomfort and skin rashes, and in more severe cases, even death.

On average, officials said there are nearly 35,000 waterborne illnesses in the U.S. every year.

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Norovirus is the most commonly acquired illness from contaminated waters. The highly contagious virus can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. According to the study, an average of over 18,000 cases have been reported annually from 1971 through 2021.

Staphylococcus, more commonly known as Staph, is another bacterium sometimes found in contaminated water that can cause serious infections and can be deadly if left untreated. However, cases are rare with just 232 reported per year.

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