Watts Bar Lake

Infobox lake
lake_name = Watts Bar Lake
image_lake = Watts_Bar_Lake.jpg
caption_lake = View from near the dam
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Tennessee
coords =
type = reservoir
inflow = Tennessee River
outflow = Tennessee River
catchment =
basin_countries = United States
length = 72.4 mi (117 km)
width =
area = 39,000 acres (160 km²)
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
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Watts Bar Lake is a reservoir on the Tennessee River created by Watts Bar Dam as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority system.

Geography

Located about midway between Chattanooga and Knoxville, the lake begins as the Tennessee River below Fort Loudon Dam in Lenoir City, Tennessee and stretches 72.4 miles (116.5 km) to Watts Bar Dam, near Spring City, Tennessee. The Clinch River connects to the main channel of the lake at mile 568 near Southwest Point (site of Andrew Jackson and John Sevier's 1803 confrontation [ [http://www.wbir.com/life/programming/local/heartland/HLStory.aspx?VolID=3&StoryID=17 Summary of Heartland Series episode on the near-duel] ] ) in Kingston, Tennessee, and the widening of the Clinch by the lake makes that river navigable all the way to Melton Hill Dam near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The partially navigable Emory River connects with the Clinch near the TVA's Kingston Steam Plant just upriver from the meeting with the Tennessee. Including the Clinch and Emory arms, Watts Bar has 722 miles of shoreline and over 39,000 acres (160 km²) of water surface. Minor tributaries include Poplar Creek, Caney Creek, and White's Creek. The lake contains several large islands, most notably Thief Neck Island, Long Island, and Sand Island.

Recreation

Watts Bar's sport fishing ratings for crappie, black crappie, largemouth bass, and spotted bass are at or near the top in the TVA system. [ [http://www.tva.com/environment/water/sportfish.htm TVA's system-wide fishing ratings] ] (The state of Tennessee advises against eating fish caught in certain areas of the lake due to PCB contamination. [ [http://www.tva.com/environment/ecohealth/wattsbar.htm#fishcons Health warning about contaminated fish] ] ) The area also provides many opportunities for birdwatching, with an extremely large population of great blue herons, over 120 nesting pairs of osprey, and a few bald eagles living on or near the lake. [ [http://www.tva.gov/environment/reports/wattsbar/chapter_3.pdf TVA report on Watts Bar wildlife] ] Several parks and camps are located on the lake, including the John Knox Center [ [http://www.johnknoxcenter.org/ John Knox Center's homepage] ] and the Boy Scout facility Camp Buck Toms. [ [http://www.campbucktoms.org Camp Buck Toms homepage] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.tva.com/sites/wattsbarres.htm TVA's page about Watts Bar Lake]