2025 Tellico Reservoir Lakeshore Cleanup Recap

On March 22, 2025, WATeR hosted its annual Tellico Reservoir shoreline cleanup — and the community showed up in force.

More than 250 volunteers representing 23 organizations fanned out around the reservoir to collect trash from the shoreline. Together they removed 4.1 tons of garbage, all of which was transported to area landfills by generous dumpster sponsors.

A community effort

This year's cleanup brought together an impressive cross-section of Tellico Lake's community, including:

BSA Troop 10 (Madisonville), Sequoyah High School, Fort Loudon Rangers, Daughters of the American Revolution, Loudon Rotary Club, Tellico Lake Rotary Club, Tellico Riders Motorcycle Club, TV Dock Captains, TV Lions' Club, TV Ford Club, TV Fishing Club, TV Womens' Club, TV Illinois Club, Soggy Bottoms Kayakers, Muddy Boots Hikers, Rarity Bay Community, Kahite Neighborhood, WindRiver Community, Foothills Pointe Community, Harbour Place Community, Oonoga Peninsula Neighborhood, WATeR Trailbuilders, and WATeR Water Quality Committee.

Encouraging trends

While 4.1 tons is still a significant amount of trash, it is consistent with a longer-term trend of declining collection totals year over year — which WATeR views as genuinely encouraging news. Fewer pounds collected suggests that years of community education and stewardship are making a real difference in how people treat the lake and its shoreline.