Kingston
Steam Plant
Roane County
Kingston Steam Plant (officially called Kingston Fossil
Plant but better known to birders and others as Kingston Steam Plant)
is a large Tennessee Valley Authority coal-burning power plant a short
distance from I-40 about 40 miles west of Knoxville. For many years,
it has been one of the top sites in east Tennessee for shorebirds.
Large numbers of waterfowl, herons and egrets, and gulls and terns
can also be present.
The shorebirds, waterfowl, and herons and egrets are
attracted to large shallow ash settling and water treatment ponds.
Because of changing plant operations, the configuration of the ponds,
as well as their attractiveness to birds, changes over time. During
the early 1970s, shorebirds and waterfowl could be viewed from adjacent
Swan Pond Road. A tall dike now borders Swan Pond Road and it is necessary
to walk to viewing areas.
Rare and/or unusual species reported at Kingston Steam
Plant include Piping Plover, American Avocet, Baird's Sandpiper, Ruff,
Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Marbled Godwit, Red Knot, Red-necked Phalarope,
Franklin's Gull, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, and Snow Bunting,
DIRECTIONS
From I-40, take the Midtown exit, Exit 350. This exit is about 40
miles west of Knoxville and about 17 miles west of the junction of
I-40 and I-75. At the end of the exit ramp, turn south (to the right
if exiting from I-40 east; to the left if exiting from I-40 west).
This road (TN 27) quickly intersects with US 70. Turn left (east)
onto US 70. After 0.7 miles, turn left (north) onto Swan Pond Road.
This is the first road to the left and signs at this intersection
direct you to the Kingston plant.
Immediately after turning onto Swan Pond Road, you will
pass under I-40. Just past this underpass, a road to the right leads
to some plant entrances and a lakeside public fishing access area.
This road also leads to an area where Brown-headed Nuthatches have
regularly occurred for several years.
For the main shorebird and waterfowl area, stay on Swan
Pond Road (bearing to the left) after passing under I-40. About 1.5
miles from US 70, turn right onto the main plant entrance road immediately
after crossing railroad tracks. Then immediately turn left onto a
gravel drive to the left of several ballfields. Park in the gravel
parking lot between the gravel road and the ballfields a few hundred
yards from the paved plant entrance road (coordinates N 35.9079°,
W 84.5178°).
For a Topozone map of the ash pond area, click here.
The target on the map is on the parking area.
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Sanderlings
foraging in a Kingston Steam Plant ash pond
Photos
by Charles P. Nicholson unless noted otherwise
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BIRDING KINGSTON STEAM PLANT
To get to the Brown-headed Nuthatch area, turn right off of Swan Pond
Road immediately after passing under I-40. Drive about 0.7 miles to
a gravel parking lot on the right (coordinates N 35.8950°, W 84.5246°).
Check the large loblolly pines in the mowed areas between the road
and the lake for the nuthatches. Pine Warblers are also frequently
present. Many large pines in this area were cut after being killed
by pine beetles in 2000. Despite losing much of their habitat, the
nuthatches have managed to persist here. Scan the lake for gulls and
other water birds. Exit this area by turning around and driving back
to Swan Pond Road.
To get to the main ash pond, follow the directions above.
Park in the gravel lot next to the ball fields. On your right is an
extensive old ash disposal area reclaimed with various grasses, herbs,
and shrubs. Several wet areas are scattered about this field. This
area is good for a variety of sparrows and finches. Northern Harriers
can be found here during fall and winter. Pay attention to the signs
as some of this area may be closed to public access.
On your left is a high grassy dike surrounding some
of the ponds and ash storage areas. Meadowlarks are usually present
on this dike. During the summer, watch and listed for Grasshopper
Sparrows on the grassy dikes and in the reclaimed fields on the right.
From fall through spring, Savannah Sparrows are usually present in
the grassy areas and along the edges of the roadways. Water Pipits
and Horned Larks are also possibilities.
To view shorebirds, waterfowl, and other water birds,
walk from the parking lot down the gravel road to the east and away
from Swan Pond Road. After a couple hundred yards, a road goes up
the dike to your left. Walk up this road and scan the ponds. Depending
on the water levels, shorebirds may be present in the long narrow
pond on your right at the top of the dike and in other ponds to the
north. After working these ponds, backtrack to the main east-west
gravel road running along the base of the high dike.
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Nelson's
Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Kingston Steam Plant.
Photo
by Ron Hoff
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After a couple hundred more yards, you will see canals
and marshy areas on the left and right. Look for blackbirds, Sedge
and Marsh Wrens, and Swamp Sparrows in these areas. Just past them
on the left is another large shallow pond that can be productive for
waterfowl, herons and egrets, and shorebirds. Farther on, also on
the left, is a low deeper pond. From fall through spring, these ponds
frequently have large numbers of ducks, American Coots, and gulls,
and terns are often present during the spring and fall. The main gravel
road bends to the left past this deep pond and runs along the dike
between the deep pond and the large cooling water intake canal for
the steam plant. This canal is a part of Watts Bar Lake, and during
the winter often has large numbers of American Black Ducks and Hooded
Mergansers in it.
As you follow this road to the left, scan the broad
Emory River arm of Watts Bar Lake. Ospreys nest in this area and Great
Blue Herons and Great Egrets nest on a nearby small island.
Several small constructed wetlands are on the right
(south) of the gravel road past the canals and opposite the deep pond.
Check these for Soras and other marsh birds.
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One
of the more permanent shallow ash ponds towards the back (south)
of the ash pond complex. On the far side of the pond are a dredge
barge and processing facilities for collecting and selling certain
types of ash. This pond usually has large areas of shallow water
and both vegetated and unvegetated mud/ash flats.
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NOTES
A spotting scope is necessary for adequately identifying many of the
birds. Allow at least 1 1/2 hours to bird the ash pond area. There
is no shade in this area and it can be very hot during the prime late
summer shorebird migration. Porta-potties are sometimes present at
the ballfields or in construction areas along the dikes. Otherwise,
there are no facilities or amenities. Light conditions are usually
best in the late afternoon.
Click here
for TVA's web site for Kingston Steam Plant.
DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Page 42, Grid A-2.
Prepared by Charles P. Nicholson with the assistance
of Ron Hoff, September 2006.