Tennessee Rivers Assessment Project
Summary Report - 1998

Future Directions

With this Assessment, Tennesseans have a new tool to understand the resources associated with rivers and streams across the state. The Assessment will be most meaningful if the information is used for long-term planning. This publication marks the transition from the data collection to the implementation and application phases of the Assessment. This transition is taking many forms.

Assisting Tennesseans. Anyone wishing to know more about a river or watershed can access the database and view maps in order to learn about recreational, aesthetic or biological resources. These resources are available online and contain detailed information about rivers and streams of the state. This customer service is an important application of the Assessment; it is a response to specific needs of Tennesseans. For more information, please see the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation home page at https://cleanairtn.org./environment

Working with Communities. Information in the Assessment has immediate application to local communities. Some communities have used the information to evaluate the possibility of establishing local river segments as canoe trails or as greenways. Some counties have used the information to understand their local aquatic and land resources better, allowing for a more integrated approach to planning.

Some schools have used the Assessment to learn about local rivers in their communities. In Marshall County, students learned about the resources in the Duck River as part of a study of local history. In Williamson County, students in the Harpeth River Environmental and Educational Project have used the Assessment information to develop a rivers curriculum centering around the biological resources of the watershed.

By responding to public information requests, the Assessment has been able to communicate information about aquatic resources to the local citizenry, who, in turn, are better positioned to make informed decisions. The Assessment helps to answer questions about the recreational, aesthetic and ecological resources within each watershed. The Assessment can also serve as a source of education and reference materials.

Working with Agencies. Information collected by the Assessment can help state and federal agencies work more efficiently and better serve all Tennesseans.

• The TDEC Division of Water Pollution Control is in the second year of a repetitive five-year watershed management cycle. The plan calls for public meetings in which local citizens interact with Division of Water Pollution Control staff. Data from the Assessment will aid in describing the resources of the watershed more completely and will allow for more informed planning. The Division of Water Pollution Control also recommends river segments for designation as Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW). Assessment information can be used to support recommendations in the public input phase of designation. Some states have already included their Rivers Assessment Program in their standard ONRW review process.
• The TDEC Division of Natural Heritage’s mission is "to protect Tennessee’s natural biological diversity through identification, conservation and communication...." Programs in botany, zoology and natural areas support this mission. The Assessment allows Division personnel to understand the biological diversity of river corridors better, as well as identify river-related areas of exceptional ecological significance worthy of protection and/or restoration. The Division also works with the Nature Conservancy to describe aquatic communities in Tennessee.
• The TDEC Scenic Rivers Program identifies outstanding examples of free-flowing Tennessee rivers. The program applies to a broad range of rivers across the state and designation is locally driven. Working cooperatively with river advocates, local communities and county governments, the Scenic Rivers Program uses innovative techniques to define long-term management objectives. The Assessment can assist the State Scenic Rivers Program and local interests.
• The TDEC Division of Superfund evaluates candidate sites for eligibility in the Superfund Program of toxic sites. Among many factors used to evaluate sites are those related to aquatic characteristics such as recreational use, sportfishing, presence of wetlands, and listing in the National Rivers Inventory. Data from the Assessment is used to identify the impacts of potential Superfund sites on surface waters.
• The TDEC Recreation Services Division works with communities in planning greenways and trails along river corridors. Data from the Assessment helps to evaluate the suitability of rivers for greenways and trails and also in the development of Tennessee’s Recreation plan.
• The TWRA is responsible for maintaining the rich diversity of aquatic life in Tennessee rivers and streams and for the safe use of these waterways. Information collected by the Assessment will help the TWRA understand fish distributions, identify special rivers for protection and accommodate increased public use of our rivers and streams. By working together and sharing information, the TWRA can be more responsive to biological and public needs.
• The TVA is committed to good stewardship of the waters under its authority. Through the Clean Water Initiative, TVA directs several River Action Teams (RATs) that evaluate water quality and biological diversity in the Tennessee Valley. Exchanging information with the Assessment makes both programs more efficient.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, operates a system of large, multipurpose reservoirs in the Cumberland River Basin. The Nashville District must balance demands for hydropower production, navigation, and flood control while at the same time seeking to maintain and improve water quality and recreational opportunities. The information contained in the Tennessee Rivers Assessment will enable the Nashville District to maximize environmental benefits while continuing to meet other project commitments.

Other Conservation Programs. The Tennessee Rivers Assessment Project also participates with other organizations in order to further the conservation of natural resources in Tennessee.

• The Tennessee Biodiversity Project is a multi-agency program composed of Gap Analysis (analysis of the distribution of biological diversity) and Partners in Flight (ranges of neotropical migratory birds). The Assessment provides aquatic information to the Tennessee Biodiversity Project.
• The Tennessee Wetlands Conservation Strategy drafted by the Governor’s Interagency Wetlands Committee recommends ten objectives to the Governor. The Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Natural Heritage has taken the lead in meeting two of these objectives. Working through the Tennessee Rivers Assessment, information about wetlands along major river corridors is being entered in the Assessment database and is being used to create a list of high priority river-related wetland sites.

Other States. Other states have used their finished Assessments in several ways: