Tennessee Nutrient Reduction Task Force

What activities are taking place in Tennessee to reduce nutrient pollution?
Tennessee is one of 12 states with a nutrient contribution to the Mississippi River. The United States Geological Survey estimates that approximately 5% of the nitrogen and approximately 5% of phosphorous delivered to the Northern of Gulf of Mexico is contributed by sources in Tennessee. In Tennessee there are 3,971 river miles and 22,872 acres of lakes/reservoirs impaired by nutrients. Many stakeholders are actively working to manage nutrient inputs to our rivers, lakes, and streams.

TDEC convenes the Nutrient Strategy Task Force of representatives from academia, state and local agencies, wastewater treatment plant operators, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. Together, the task force is working to:

• Prioritize watersheds
• Set watershed nutrient load reduction goals
• Ensure effectiveness of point source permits
• Develop implementable watershed plans that maximize the effectiveness of BMPs
• Encourage nutrient reductions from urban runoff
• Establish watershed-based monitoring programs to evaluate effectiveness
• Document and report implementation activities