Studies show Old Hickory Lake one of the cleanest in Tennessee

By BARBARA DORRIS
Staff Writer

July 10, 2002 For neighbors of Old Hickory Lake, rising temperatures often spur a wet retreat from summer heat.  Despite Old Hickory's age-old reputation as the "bad boy" of Tennessee's lakes, ongoing studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee's Environmental Assistance Center support that Old Hickory may actually be one of the cleanest lakes in Tennessee.  "Ironically, a lot of people may think of Old Hickory as dirty because of its murky appearance, but just the opposite is true," says Joe Holland of the Tennessee Environmental Assistance Center. Holland is responsible for fieldwork overseeing routine testing done on Old Hickory and its tributaries and says that the murkiness is due to unsettled sediment, not pollution or bacteria.  "There are many streams feeding into Old Hickory, and the water does not settle for long, compared to Center Hill and Percy Priest, which appear cleaner because the water is not being replaced in some spots for up to a year and has more settling time," says Holland.  Holland oversees tests for reports that are used by both local and national agencies to compare Old Hickory with other lakes and bodies of water. The reports are issued every two years, and a new report will be issued later this year.  Even more comprehensive water quality surveying is done near the mouths of the tributaries and at recreation areas regularly by the U.S. Corps of Engineers who manage the lake and upkeep its recreational properties.  While swimmers and sunbathers may turn their noses up at the water's appearance and Dupont's ominous gray walls nearly eclipsing those coveted tanning rays, fishermen have never been concerned. Old Hickory draws fishermen from across the United States who have heard of its unique properties.  Tennessee Sportsman and Game and Fish Magazine recently touted Old Hickory as an "above-average" largemouth fishery due to its "uniquely stable environment."  Stability that depends on the lake's unique blend of temperature and life-sustaining fresh water sediment.  Even the green algae Old Hickory sports in places is not a human health concern, according to Bob Sneed of the Corp of Engineers. Sneed says, "The algae is only able to be sustained by the fresh sediment constantly coming in, and though it is unattractive, it offers no hazard to human health and supports aquatic life."  Sneed says his department's testing includes floor sediment testing for potentially dangerous elements like copper and mercury.  Sneed says that on average water takes 11 days to pass through Old Hickory Lake, which not only keeps fresh water coming in, but carried any undetected pollutants out.  This is especially good news for residents of Hendersonville still concerned about the sewage issues in Drakes Creek in the past.  "The impression so many people have of the lake is due to the appearance of the water, but we just don't find anything alarming," says Sneed.