ABSTRACT:In developing water quality models for lakes and reservoirs, the assumptions of one‐dimensionality (i.e., water quality changes are significant only in one dimension – usually depth), as well as two‐dimensionality (considering the length and depth of the water body), have been utilized to predict water quality. In both caws, the assumption of lateral homogeneity is made. A field study was undertaken to determine the change of water quality in the lateral dimension. The main study reservoir was Center Hill Lake in Middle Tennessee. Data were also obtained for Cherokee Lake in East Tennessee. Several water quality parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and oxidation reduction potential) were analyzed over the length, breadth, and depth of these reservoirs from pre‐stratification through post‐stratification. The statistical and theoretical three‐dimensional analysis showed the expected variation for each water quality parameter in each direction. The influence of the lateral dimension on water quality management and modeling was found to be
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