Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir
Claiborne County, TennesseeView mapDirections
TDEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Limited data
Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir in Claiborne County, Tennessee has water-quality measurements published by TDEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L.
Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is a lake in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TDEC, last sampled 2022-07-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
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Water quality measurements for Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir
These are the measurements TDEC publishes for Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 10µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Cedar Grove MarinaSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Fishing Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir
EPA Impairment Status
Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit TN06010205001_1000 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Claiborne County
Frequently asked questions about Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir
Where is Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir?
- Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is a lake in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Its water-quality measurements are published by TDEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir?
- Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir in Claiborne County, Tennessee has water-quality measurements published by TDEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L.
Is Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir?
- Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Grove Marina.
Can I fish at Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir?
- Big Barren Creek Embayment of Norris Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Tennessee's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- TDEC Division of Water Resources
TDECWR_WQX2 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory