Natural Resources Protection

Under an agreement signed in 1941, the Fish and Wildlife Service assumed responsibility for maintaining Reelfoot Lake, the largest natural lake in Tennessee, including controlling siltation and the growth of undesirable vegetation. Because the lake, which is used extensively by fishermen, boaters, and wildlife enthusiasts, captures drainage from adjacent eroding cropland, it has been silting up over the years and is increasingly swampy in areas; today, more than 40 percent of the lake is three feet deep or less. This report (1) discusses the extent to which the Fish and Wildlife Service has complied with terms of the lease agreement and (2) identifies the main causes of the lake's deterioration, options for improving the lake's condition, and barriers to implementing these options.

GAO found that: (1) FWS responsibilities over Reelfoot Lake and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge include operations and maintenance, creation and maintenance of water circulation channels, siltation control and lake drainage, control of undesirable vegetation, and operation and maintenance of water control structures; (2) FWS has fulfilled its responsibilities under the lease agreement, contingent on funding availability; (3) causes for the lake's accelerated deterioration of wildlife habitat and increases in undesirable vegetation involve silt buildup from surrounding cropland and accumulation of undecomposed organic materials; (4) constructing additional silt retention basins, increasing the use of conservation and erosion control methods, acquiring and converting surrounding land for silt absorption, and dredging and excavating accumulated silt are all options for improving the lake's condition; (5) allowing fluctuations in the lake's water level would kill unwanted vegetation and consolidate silt; and (6) barriers to implementing lake improvements involve the high costs of improvements, resistance from landowners, and balancing competing interests.