(Source: Chattanooga Times/Free Press)
By Ben Benton, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
Mar. 18--ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Officials at the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center have issued a warning restricting swimming, wading and water skiing on Woods Reservoir.
Air Force spokesman Joel Fortner said the warning was issued after elevated levels of E. coli were found in the water.
"The source of the high levels of E. coli is unknown at this time and has not been linked to the Monteagle spill," Mr. Fortner said.
About 750,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled Sunday from a ruptured tank in Monteagle.
Woods Reservoir lies near the Franklin-Coffee county line, about 10 miles northwest of Monteagle.
The waste flowed into Juanita Creek and is suspected of flowing west into Gilliam Creek, which eventually leads to the Elk River and Woods Reservoir
"The samples that showed positive Tuesday afternoon were from Monday sampling," he said.
AEDC increased its sampling of Woods Reservoir water after the spill, he said.
Officials have not restricted boating or fishing in the reservoir, but a news release from AEDC warns people are warned to be cautious and not expose themselves to lake water or drink untreated water from the lake. Any fish caught in Woods should be washed and fully cooked, the release states.
Restrictions will remain in place until E. coli levels return to normal. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has teamed with AEDC to do more testing to determine the source of the E. coli, officials state.
Mr. Fortner said TDEC and AEDC officials want to determine whether the source of E. coli is human or from farms in the area.
"We'd rather be overly cautious by issuing the health warning rather than underestimate the danger to the public," Mr. Fortner said.
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