2nd Annual NoogaKnox Challenge

Chattanooga and Knoxville are linked together in many ways, but maybe most importantly by the flowing waters of the Tennessee River.

 Join Team Nooga    Join Team Knox 

NoogaKnox is a friendly competition between Knoxville and Chattanooga to see which can have more individuals taking actions in their yards to protect downstream water quality. The competition will run from World Water Day (Mar 22) to World Rivers Day (Sept 24). We are striving to motivate all Tennesseans to take an active role in the health of our streams and rivers starting with our own yards.

Did you know there are over 60,000 miles of rivers and streams in Tennessee? About half of those are monitored for quality, and of that half, nearly 4,000 miles are impaired due to runoff from urban and suburban areas. About 450 of those miles flow in and around Knox and Hamilton Counties. Want to learn about your creek's health? Check out the " How's My Waterway " map.

Join the NoogaKnox Challenge by certifying your yard. Nooga folks, certify your RainSmart Yard. Knox folks, certify your Tennessee Smart Yard. If we each did a little in our own yards, we would have a lot of protection for our valued water resources.

The RainSmart Yards initiative was founded in 2018 through a partnership between WaterWays, the City of Chattanooga, and Hamilton County and under the original name My Tennessee: Clean Water Starts Here.  This award program recognizes creek-friendly yards that capture and retain stormwater during rain events, as well as create habitat for native plants and pollinators.  Click here to join Team Nooga with RainSmart Yard certification .

Tennessee Smart Yards is an Extension-led program that guides Tennesseans on practices they can apply to create healthier, more ecologically-sound landscapes and communities through nine foundational principles of stewardship. Tennessee Smart Yards was originally named Tennessee Yards and Neighborhoods, sprouting in 2008.  Click here to join Team Knox with Tennessee Smart Yards certification. 

It can't be a competition without a scoreboard! Check out this map that is updated weekly with NoogaKnox progress and  our dashboard  to see who's on top, Nooga or Knox!

Of course everyone wins with a cleaner and healthier Tennessee River! The winner gets bragging rights and the prize of naming rights for the next year. In 2022, Chattanooga/Hamilton County had more yards certified and Knoxville/Knox County, so this year's challenge is "NoogaKnox." Will it be "KnoxNooga" next year?

Imitation is the best form of flattery. Since the river-friendly actions promoted here can apply anywhere, this effort can be replicated where you are.

"The oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it." - Aldo Leopold