Geographic Distribution
The natural geographic range is limited to the drainages of the Cumberland, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. The Tennessee shiner is a characteristic species of the Eastern highland region. The species occurs naturally in the uppermost tributaries of the Green River, in the Cumberland River between the Harpeth River and the Cumberland Falls, and in the Tennessee River. In the lower drainages, the Tennessee shiner is limited to isolated populations in the Duck River, Shoal Creek, upper Elk River, and the upper Tennessee River tributaries above the Sequatchee River. This species is currently found in the majority of its historical range; however, due to point source pollution from a paper manufacturing plant, the Tennessee shiner was extirpated from the Pigeon River for several years. The paper manufacturing plant was pumping toxic waste from the production of paper into the Pigeon River, resulting in the extirpation of mussels, snails, and most of the fish species historical present in the river. This species was also believed to be introduced by bait buckets to the Chestatee River system in Georgia, the New and Catawba drainages of North Carolina, and the upper Savannah drainages in South Carolina
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