Water-resources investigations in Tennessee: Programs and activities of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1988-1989

Abstract

he following report is the most current in a series of reports published by the Water Resources Division of the US. Geological Survey describing the ongoing water-resources programs and activities in the Tennessee District. These reports provide general information about the projects conducted by the Tennessee District in cooperation with state, local, and other federal agencies. In addition to describing the principal objectives of each program and project, information about the progress of each investigation is provided. The variety of projects conducted by the Tennessee District’s staff normally results in significant new findings. Each year the focus of the programs conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in Tennessee varies in response to local, state, and federal interests. The local and state interests are addressed through our cooperative investigations program, in which the U.S. Geological Survey provides as much as 50 percent of the funds to conduct investigations. Almost two thirds of the projects in the District are in the cooperative program; the U.S. Geological Survey contributed almost 1.5 million dollars in matching funds to cooperative programs in Tennessee in fiscal year 1989. Federal funds from within the U.S. Geological Survey and other federal agencies financed additional programs at a cost of about 1 million dollars. Technical focus of local and federal programs has shifted during the last few years towards issues addressing hazardous-wastes and ground-water contamination. Many of the projects presented in this report address those issues. Emerging issues such as concerns about wetlands, scour of bridges, quality of storm-water runoff, and droughts, are well represented in the scope of the investigations described in this report. The results of these programs provide significant input to many other activities of the State of Tennessee and the Federal Government that have a direct impact on the quality of life. The information and conclusions obtained from these data-collection programs and investigations are crucial to meet many of the water-supply needs, regulatory, and other water-related issues that the local, state, and federal governments must address. The ability of the U.S. Geological Survey to provide the data to meet these needs resides with the support that the program receives by the State and Federal cooperators. I am pleased with the extent and degree of cooperation that the program receives across the State and from other federal agencies. This report is a testimony to this support. I wish to share these achievements with the dedicated employees of the Tennessee District as well as with the cooperating agencies and their representatives that make this program feasible.