TVA: Most reservoirs won't reach summer levels due to drought

Most Northeast Tennessee reservoirs will be five to seven feet lower than usual this summer due to drought conditions. The TVA said drought conditions have limited the amount of water in its reservoirs throughout the spring and leading into summer. The current drought conditions mirror record droughts in 2007 and 2008, said Ben Heath, operations support manager at the TVA's River Forecast Center in Knoxville. It will affect how much water the TVA releases from its dams. Lower pool levels mean shallower swimming holes and exposed tree stumps or rocks that are typically underwater. South Holston Lake is five feet behind summer elevations. Boone Lake is six to seven feet below summer elevations. Watauga Lake is the only reservoir in northeast Tennessee that has reached summer levels, due in part to the size of its watershed. "These lakes are open and usable, but unfortunately, they're not as full as what we would call normal summer elevations, what we're accustomed to seeing on a normal year," Heath said. The TVA hasn't experienced drought effects like this for almost 19 years. Heath said they're seeing about 69% of the normal rainfall amounts, and only about 45% of runoff amounts. Runoff from land into creeks, and eventually reservoirs, is what the TVA counts on to elevate its water levels. But, Heath said, there hasn't been enough runoff to fill its reserves. "Because of the drought, the soil is like a dry sponge, right? So rains like [Thursday] just start to fill that sponge up, but it doesn't really saturate the sponge," Heath said. "So the sponge would have to be saturated to start producing that runoff, and it's just not." Drought conditions increased statewide in March, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which identifies drought areas and their intensity. More than 69% of the state is in a level of drought and more than 26% is in abnormally dry conditions.By the end of March, almost all areas of Tennessee had below normal soil moisture levels. The TVA normally starts filling reservoirs in late March and early April. As a response to the drought conditions, the utility raised reservoir levels earlier than that. However, those reservoirs still won't reach summer elevation levels, when they are typically at their highest. The utility starts lowering reservoirs on Labor Day as a flood control measure in anticipation of winter time, when there is typically more runoff. During the summertime, Heath said, the TVA is focused on environmental flows, hydroproduction and recreation. While the reservoirs are limited compared to previous years, Heath said the TVA will still release some water in more conservative amounts to balance its other objectives for river management. "We still are blessed to get plenty of rain, but it's just not the typical year," he said. Jorgelina Manna-Rea is a Report for America corps member reporting on issues relating to the environment.