Water Management Situation Report for Cumberland River Basin Reservoir System and Associated Waterways

Mainstem Projects - Fall 2009

The wet winter and continued heavy rainfall during April and May 2009 resulted in near flood conditions on the main stem with inflow of water from the tributary projects.  Although all that water wasn’t a particularly good thing for oxygen or temperature for Lake Cumberland and its tailwater (See reports), for the main stem projects (Cordell Hull, Old Hickory, Cheatham, Barkley) a wet year was good thing.  Water evacuated from the storage reservoirs helped to prevent major stagnation within these four main stem reservoirs.  The low dissolved oxygen and elevated temperature problems seen at various points within the main stem reservoirs were largely avoided during 2009.  Relatively little was required in the way of spillway releases to aerate discharges from Cordell Hull, Old Hickory and Cheatham dams.

So the continued lesson learned from this is that during wetter years the main stem projects generally have better water quality, due to the rapid pass through of water, while the storage reservoirs normally exhibit poorer water quality.  The year 2009 presented abundant proof of this trend.

Within three of the main stem projects (J. Percy Priest, Old Hickory and Cheatham Reservoirs) TWRA fisheries crews conducted trap net samples to index crappie year-class strengths in starting October 1.  Trap nets are used to collect age-0 or young-of-the-year crappie that was spawned in spring 2009.  The trap nets are small mesh hoop nets with a 100’ lead that is usually attached to the bank.  Sampling is standardized - meaning the same nets are set annually at the same times and sites on each reservoir.  When caught, changes in age-0 crappie abundance are documented.  Annual catch rates (number of age-0 crappie per net night) are compared and relate to crappie year-class strengths.  Strong year-classes, represented by high catch rates, provide great crappie fisheries upon growing to a catchable size.  Unfortunately, annual crappie year-class strengths in reservoirs are variable, ranging from weak to strong.  This information allows TWRA to forecast the fishery and distribute hatchery reared crappie to those reservoirs with weaker natural production.

As in J. Percy Priest, the 2009 white crappie year-class strength in Old Hickory Reservoir was also strong.  Old Hickory Reservoir’s crappie fishery will continue to be good in 2010 due to the strong 2007 year-class.  This year-class will provide high angler catch and harvest rates.  The 2007 and 2009 white crappie year-classes are the strongest ever documented from Old Hickory Reservoir.  The recent changes in reservoir hydrology seem to be supporting crappie spawning success.

Currently TWRA is conducting the Cheatham Reservoir trap net sample.  The moderate 2007 year-class will provide good catches of crappie this fall and next spring.

Upon completion of trap net samples, TWRA will start fish habitat enhancement projects and fish attractor construction in these three Cumberland reservoirs.  Also, the agency has cost-shared with the Corps of Engineers (Corps) to develop a bank fishing area at the site of the old Seven Points beach on J. Percy Priest Reservoir.  Construction will start around January 1, 2010.  Plans are to construct a rock fishing jetty and three fishing platforms.

Mainstem Projects - Spring 2009

The return of rainfall to the Cumberland Basin resulted in improved flows in the main stem as well. Conditions in all four main stem projects (Cordell Hull, Old Hickory, Cheatham, and Barkley) had improved considerably during the fall and winter of 2008-2009. Continuous heavy rainfall during April and May 2009 resulted in near flood conditions on the main stem with much more water in storage in the tributary projects that will have to be evacuated. As a result, adverse conditions that had developed in portions of the main stem projects by June 2007 and 2008 have yet to develop this year.

In terms of the intersection of ecology and recreation, many fish attractors like trees and spawning benches were improved this year and should bring fish and fishermen together increasing angler catch rates. All fish attractor sites on Old Hickory Reservoir marked by a white buoy with the fish and hook insignia were refurbished this year. Twelve cedar trees were placed at each site. New stake beds were constructed in Johnson and Sycamore Creeks on Cheatham Reservoir.

The Old Hickory sauger population was sampled in March as they concentrated below Cordell Hull Dam to spawn. Abundance was high and size structure was good so the fishery should remain very good. However, spring discharge has been high and restrictive to fishing in the upper reaches of the reservoir. TWRA also sampled black bass populations in Old Hickory, Cheatham, and J. Percy Priest Reservoirs during April by electrofishing. Standardized sampling techniques at permanent sample sites detect changes in the populations over time. The abundance of largemouth bass sampled from Cheatham and Old Hickory reservoirs was very high compared to other reservoirs in Tennessee. Excellent size structure existed with many, big 20" and larger largemouth. Bass fishing will continue to be good in all three reservoirs during the next year.

At this point the very high flows have dominated conditions in the main stem and delayed the onset of adverse water quality conditions observed in 2007 and 2008, when flows were much lower. It is anticipated this situation will change as the summer progresses and less water is available. The Corps has only recently brought main stem flows down significantly to continue work on Center Hill and Wolf Creek dams. Monitoring trips on the main stem projects (Barkley, Cheatham, Old Hickory, and Cordell Hull) have been delayed because high flows minimize the importance of data collected under these conditions. At this point, temperatures around the Cumberland Fossil Plant at the top of Lake Barkley have not been problematic due to those high flows. However, as the rain slows during the summer months the situation will probably become more adverse as flows are reduced.