Ocoee

Photo taken by U.S. Forest Service Staff at the White Water Center. This is the Olympic competition channel after the sluice waters receded.

On Monday, January 5, 2009, the Division of Water Pollution Control, Chattanooga Field Office received a complaint from the U.S. Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest, and the Ocoee River White Water Center reporting that starting at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2009, the Olympic Reach of the Ocoee River was suddenly overwhelmed by muddy-sludge that was black and smelled terrible. As a result, the Forest Service reported that sludge/sediment/ooze was deposited throughout the Olympic Reach of the Ocoee River and in some places up to 3.5 feet in depth (see Photograph 1).

Chattanooga Field Office staff visited the White Water Center reach of the Ocoee River on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, to document what had occurred. Driving up the Ocoee River Gorge, staff noted that the Ocoee River was flowing but that the water was very turbid. Upon reaching the Olympic reach of the Ocoee River, it was noted that the turbidity had increased and the Olympic competition channel portion of the Olympic reach was approximately ВЅ full (see Photograph 2). In addition, Forest Service employees were walking the stream bank picking up what dead fish they could find. Due to the magnitude of the mud/sludge/ooze release, fish were killed and washed down stream or killed and buried in the mud/sludge/ooze. Consequently, a count of dead fish was not possible. No live fish were seen.

It was learned from a telephone discussion on January 6, 2009, with Mr. Charles L. Bach, General Manager, River Scheduling, that the source of the mud/sludge/ooze was TVA Ocoee Dam #3. TVA had opened the bottom sluice gates at Ocoee Dam #3 to draw the water level behind the dam down to elevation 1420 in preparations for repair work on Ocoee #2 Dam. As explained by Mr. Bach, the drawdown was needed to protect workers as they worked to repair a leaking Dam #2. There had been no inquiries regarding permit requirements or coordination with TDEC concerning these special operations of the Ocoee series of dams and powerhouses. Link to official document: http://media.timesfreepress.com/docs/2009/01/TVA-Ocoee-Dam.doc