2008 303(d) List
State's list of most polluted and impaired waters tops 11,000 miles
The 303(d) list is prepared every two years by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and every similar office in each state in the nation. The report is required by the EPA and it lists all of Tennessee’s waters that are too polluted or full of sediment for public uses.
Each stream has designated uses for humans like fishing, swimming, boating and others for biodiversity and trout populations. Designated uses are assigned to waters, and the water is listed as impaired if it is unsafe or impossible to use the water as intended. Designated uses are generally a reflection of historical or “existing” uses.
The people of the state own the water in trust and have a right to clean water and streams and lakes. This is codified in Tennessee law.
Some streams are considered to be “Outstanding Water Resources of the State” and TDEC can’t permit pollution discharges into those waters. Other streams get different levels of protection, and the resulting inputs from permitted or non-point sources degrade the water quality.
When the water quality is too poor for people to use it as intended, it is placed on the 303(d) list for greater protection. On the list, the waters that are assessed are listed in a category that says how clean they are based on the designated use criteria.
Click here to view the entire 303(d) list.
The 303(d) list in your county