Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Boone Lake Draw Down


What a difference five months makes. With the draw down of the Boone Reservoir to repair the leaking Boone Dam, there have been dramatic changes to the shoreline. These photos were taken near the Winged Deer Park Boat Ramp -- on April 11th and Sept. 8th. The draw down was necessitated by the discovery that the integrity of the dam, north of Johnson City, had been compromised by underground water seepage. The Bristol Herald published some good articles this week on the dam's problems, the impact on local property owners and the steps the TVA will take to resolve the issues (click here and here).
It is stunning to see not only how low the reservoir is right now, with boats suspended dozens of feet above the ground, but the rapid growth of vegetation in what was only recently the muddy lake bottom.  The bad news for homeowners, marinas and those who enjoyed boating and fishing on the lake is that the TVA estimates it will take 5-7 years to fix the dam. To read more about the draw down and the ways the TVA will repair the dam, visit the TVA's website: click here.

1 comment:

  1. Makes me wonder what the earth appeared like after the year long flood of Noah.

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