Boone Lake is a 4600 acre reservoir in Upper East Tennessee near the cities of  Bristol TN/VA, Elizabethton TN, and Johnson City, TN.  It is part of a series of man-made lakes built and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority for flood control, navigation, and hydro-power generation.

It's location in a  rapidly developing urban area and it's relatively small size make Boone Lake vulnerable to a variety of water quality problems. These include nutrient enrichment, low dissolved oxygen, and limited clarity.   Many of Boone's tributaries are impacted by bacteria contamination, siltation, and loss of habitat.   There are several major wastewater discharges into the lake in addition to agricultural sources, failing septic tanks, and urban runoff.

The extent and variety of water issues affecting Boone Lake can only be addressed through the combined efforts of  resource management agencies, local governments, and interest groups. The Boone Watershed Partnership was formed to begin the task of pulling together these stakeholders and working toward a community based program of identifying and correcting water quality problems.    Our objectives are:

• Share information on water conditions and issues among resource agencies, water users, and the public.
• Develop consensus on priorities and actions needed to address regional issues.
• Marshal resources to carry out needed actions and carry out best management practices.
• Promote  awareness of the importance of water resources to the regional economy and to the quality of life.