It's a simple question but does it have a simple answer? The answer appears to be, "No". At least the last time Norm Mulvenon tried to find one, he was unsuccessful.

 

There appears to be many answers:

  1. High levels of mercury/PCBs in water from Y-12
  2. High levels of mercury/PCBs in the fish due to food chain concentration
  3. High levels of coli-form bacteria from Y-12 or the Oak Ridge sewer system
  4. All of the above or any combination.

 

And no one is certain who decided the question: "To post or not to post?" Yet it seems reasonable that somewhere documentation must exist unless postings are very whimsical.

 

Current Signs

 

The current (third generation) creek signage (at 100 Wiltshire Drive, Oak Ridge, TN) reads:

The opposing sign is similar but has an advisory tone. The first and second generation signs are gone.

 

The signs do not address the question of Why? And the answer is important: One very small dose of mercury/PCB is relatively harmless but a very small dose of a virile strain of E. coli can multiply into a fatal problem. The public needs to know the answer since the law makes them responsible for stream bank maintained.

 

The Status of Water Quality in Tennessee Reports

 

The following are table entries taken from the 2004 305(b) Report: The Status of Water Quality in Tennessee.

The report is published annually by TDEC and the lead text of each table contains narrative text which may be helpful.

 

Chapter V Posted Streams, Rivers and Reservoirs (Page 65)

 

            A. Biological Contamination (Page 65)

                        Table 12: Bacteriological Advisories in Tennessee (Page 67)

East Tennessee

East Fork Poplar Creek

Mouth to Mile 15

Roane

Oak Ridge area

 

            B. Fish Tissue Contamination (Page 70)

                        Table 13: Fish Tissue Advisories in Tennessee (Page 75)

East Tennessee

East Fork Poplar Creek including Poplar Creek Embayment

Anderson, Roane

Mile 0.0 – 15

Mercury, PCBs

Fish should not be eaten, Also avoid contact with water

 

This report answers the questions of: Where? And What? But not the question of: How Much? Note: Avoidance of contact with water is in a fish advisory table?

 

The Question of How Much?

 

 

 

Contaminant

Comparison
Value

LEFPC
Value

 

 

Mercury in water

 

 

 

 

Mercury in fish

 

 

 

 

PCBs in water

 

 

 

 

PCBs in fish

 

 

 

 

Bacteria

  Fecal Coliform
E. Coli

 

200 (3)

126 (3)

 

 

 

 

 

(3) 2002 305(b) Report; Colonies per 100 ml.