RELIANCE, Tenn. — People who fish, boat or raft on the Hiwassee River saw the effects when TVA increased water flows below the Apalachia power house to improve water quality in the Tennessee River during recent dry weather.

The higher flows were good for rafting companies and people who fish from boats but problematical for wading anglers.

Cleveland, Tenn., fisherman John Cross recently arrived at the Hiwassee before the expected 10 a.m. water release to wade the river. He said water released at midmorning doesn’t reach the lower river section before noon.

On this day, he said, water was released about 7 a.m.

“It was already running,” Mr. Cross said, so he stayed ashore to fish with his fly rod.

But Dany “Toad Frog” Phillips was tickled with the extra water.

“It’s a good thing for me,” the fisherman from Madisonville, Tenn., said. He is a member of Trout Unlimited and has his own boat especially designed for fishing the Hiwassee. He was seeking a fishing partner for the day and paired with Mr. Cross for a float down the river.

That all will come to an end when the Labor Day holiday is over. The Tennessee Valley Authority said last week that it would begin its winter drawdown and allow only minimal flows through the Tennessee River system.

TVA had increased the water flow through the Chickamauga Dam from 13,000 cubic feet per second to 25,000 cubic feet per second to continue to meet downstream flows, TVA spokeswoman Barbara Martocci said.

On Thursday, TVA said in a news release that it was preparing to reach winter levels in its reservoirs. Because most are many feet below normal, water releases will be slower than usual, the agency stated.

“Although the reservoir system is in better shape than it was last year at this time, it will take rainfall well above normal over an extended period of time to break this three-year drought and return normal flows back to the Tennessee River Basin,” said Janet Herrin, senior vice president of river operations.

“We are continuing to manage the reservoir system in a conservation mode — only withdrawing enough water from the tributary reservoirs to meet minimum flow commitments downstream.”

Ms. Herrin said the latest rainfall resulted in an average of about 3 inches for the valley east of Chattanooga.

Reliance Fly & Tackle owner Jerry Weicken said his business was off both from the water flow and higher gas prices.

Hiwassee Outfitters clerk Sue Martin said most of the early water releases took place during the week.

“It would really help if they release it earlier on the weekend,” Ms. Martin said. “But I don’t look for that to happen.”

She said rafting on the Hiwassee has increased this year.

“We have had a really good year,” she said.

Ms. Herrin said the agency must plan releases for both recreation and power generation.

She said low water conditions also create safety hazards on the reservoirs by exposing more boating hazards, including rocks, stumps, sandbars and shoals. Low water levels contribute to increased boat congestion and may make launching boats more difficult at some boat ramps.

Because of the hazards, boaters are urged to use caution at all times, especially if they are unfamiliar with the reservoir.

ON THE WEB

To see water releases from the Apalachia powerhouse, visit lakeinfo.tva.gov/htbin/lakeinfo?site=APH&DataType=All&submit=View+info.

To see schedules of recreational water releases, visit tva.com/river/recreation/schedules.htm.

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