East Tennessee's Lakes: Beautiful Real Estate and Recreation
In 1933, when Congress created the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), one of its primary purposes was to bring the Tennessee Valley out of the poverty by controlling flooding through the development of a dam system. Many benefits were realized from the completion of these dams: navigation of the region’s waterways was secured, flooding was brought under control, and TVA became the nation’s largest supplier of electricity (which led to the selection of Oak Ridge as a location for the Manhattan Project in 1942).
A rather unforeseen benefit to the production of the TVA dams is that the resulting reservoirs have added beauty and recreation opportunities to the region, immeasurably improving the quality of life for citizens. In addition, the reservoirs attract tourists to fish, ski, swim, hike, windsurf, and camp making travel and tourism the top nonfarm industry in the state. While water and water-related sports are certainly not the only reason to visit East Tennessee, several events of interest make the area’s lakes and waterways attractive to citizens and visitors alike. For instance,
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Fishing is a huge pastime with record-breaking catfish, bass, trout, and crappie. Whether you prefer lake fishing or rivers and streams, there’s ample opportunity to catch the Big One.
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Recreational boating has boomed since the 1980s with boat manufacturers and dealers increasing about 20 percent since 1988 in those counties along the Tennessee River. Also since the late 1980s marinas in the same area have more than doubled. With more than over 1,000 square miles of water surface in the Tennessee Valley, it’s easy to understand how boating has become such a popular recreational activity.
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TVA’s reservoirs are surrounded by 290,000 acres of beautiful land just made for camping, hiking, bird watching, and picnicking. TVA maintains over 100 public recreation areas, including 11 campgrounds that are open seasonally, from March to November.
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The Ocoee River Gorge has become a prime destination for whitewater enthusiasts boasting level 3-4 whitewater throughout the season. The 1996 Summer Olympics whitewater competitions were held on the Ocoee’s mile-long whitewater course and its four-and-a-half-mile rafting area.
Much more information can be found in TVA’s, A Glovebox Guide to TVA Places for Family Fun, which can be purchased by calling 800-MAPS-TVA or by emailing maps2@tva.gov.
