Lake Information
Lakes in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina certainly took a little getting used to for this Florida girl. I have created this page to help people that are new to our area or interested in our area to understand how the different lakes work and who controls them. Large lakes only are covered on these pages. For more detailed information, please go to the corresponding site for that lake by clicking on the link.
The Tennessee River was once untamed. It caused havoc on the lives of the people who settled near its banks. The river often flooded and was not navigable in many areas. The unpredictable Tennessee wasn't kind to the families who grew cotton, tobacco, and corn within its flood plains. It also posed a problem in shipping the crops to the rest of the nation and world. To see the nine dams of the Tennessee River, click here.
Today the Tennessee has been tamed. Nine dams have been built along the river to insure the people of the Tennessee Valley adequate transportation and protection against flooding rains. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) maintains and operates all nine dams, and the Army Corp of Engineers maintains and operates the locks that accompany each dam. The dams also provide electricity for industries and residents, recreation for tourists and residents, and water supplies during times of drought. See
http://www2.una.edu/geography/tn_web/Dams/index.html
Lake Chickamauga is a TVA controlled lake part of the Tennessee River. Chickamauga Reservoir, with 810 miles of shoreline, has 35,400 square acres of surface area. The counties surrounding Chickamauga Lake include Rhea County, Hamilton County, Meigs County, Bradley County, and McMinn County. Millions of visitors yearly are attracted to Chickamauga Lake. The area offers two state parks, two county parks, four municipal parks, and two wildlife centers. Boating, swimming, fishing, camping, water skiing, jet skiing, and other water related activities are offered on Chickamauga Lake.
Watts Bar Lake is on the Tennessee River and is surrounded by Loudon, Roane, Rhea, and Meigs Counties in Tennessee. Watts Bar Lake covers 39,000 acres at full pool, and has 771 miles of shoreline. The lake extends 72.4 miles from the Watts Bar Dam up to Ft. Loudon dam, with the maximum depth being approximately 70 feet near the dam. The principal tributaries of Watts Bar are the Clinch River and the Tennessee River. Watts Bar Lake is one of south's largest lakes. The watershed (the land the water drains from) for the lake is 17,310 square miles. Lake Appalachia is 80 % forestry service. No docks are allowed. There are two public boat ramps to enter the waterway. It is TVA controlled. Water level fluctuates about 3-4 feet at maximum.
Hiawassee Lake does allow docks, it is TVA controlled, fluctuates about 40 feet in Winter, and is mostly forestry service.
Lake Blue Ridge Reservoir is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest of north Georgia. There?s a scenic overlook above the dam and a shaded picnic area near the powerhouse. The canoe and kayak launch site below the dam gives non motorized boaters access to the Toccoa River. The river is noted among fishermen for its sunfish, trout, and bass. When water is released from the Blue Ridge Dam to generate electricity, the river becomes a class I-II float through the Georgia hills. Besides providing power and recreational opportunities, Blue Ridge also helps control flooding.
Lake Nottley Reservoir lies in the state of Georgia on the southeastern edge of the Tennessee River watershed nestled in the mountains and valleys of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The reservoir features a beach and camping area and is a great place for viewing wildlife. Nottley Reservoir serves a number of purposes other than recreation, including flood control and power generation.
Lake Chatuge: Sport fishing is popular at Chatuge, both in the reservoir and in the Hiawassee River below the dam. Concrete weirs have been installed below the dam to provide a steady flow of water and to increase oxygen levels for fish and other aquatic animals. Wade fishing for trout is popular here since fish are attracted to the weirs, where food is abundant. Chatuge is operated for many purposes, including flood control, power generation, and augmentation of water flows for navigation downstream.
Lake Chickamauga Reservoir is named for a tribe of Native Americans that broke away from the Cherokee Nation in the 1700s. They lived in villages along North Chickamauga Creek, which joins the river just below Chickamauga Dam. The reservoir attracts millions of outdoor enthusiasts each year for fishing, boating, and swimming. There are boat ramps on the lake and canoe access on North Chickamauga Creek. The Big Ridge Small Wild Area is a 200-acre upland hardwood forest situated on a high ridge above the north shore of the reservoir at the dam. An easy 1.3-mile loop trail leads through the forest. Spring wildflowers include bloodroot, toothwort, larkspur, trillium, and mayapple. Before TVA established Chickamauga and other reservoirs above Chattanooga, the city had one of the most serious flood problems in the nation. Now the river which threatened the city contributes to its economy as a major artery for barge traffic.
Lake Watauga holds the distinction of being the highest reservoir (more than 1,900 feet above sea level) in the Tennessee River system. The reservoir is operated for many uses, including flood control, power generation, water quality, and aquatic ecology. Construction of the dam began in early 1942 but was curtailed later that year in favor of other wartime building efforts. Work resumed in 1946, and the dam was completed in 1948. Surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest and flanked by the Appalachian Mountains, Watauga Reservoir is arguably the most scenic in the Tennessee River watershed. It offers access to the Appalachian Trail. Below Watauga Dam is a wildlife observation area where visitors have a chance to view unique species of waterfowl.
