(CHEROKEE LAKE REALTY WRITES A WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE GRAINGER COUNTY JOURNAL NEWSPAPER. THIS WAS A RECENT QUESTION ASKED BY A READER.)
The lake levels are controlled by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA, created in 1933, is a federally owned public power company in the United States. It has several purposes. To generate electricity, improve navigation, economic development, recreation, and perhaps most importantly the management of flood control. There is a fine two-part series on TVA in this newspaper. I recommend one read it. I can answer the second part of your question first, by relating some of the information on TVA’s website. Lowering lake levels by fall makes room for the large amounts of precipitation that occur in the fall, winter, and spring. These winter and spring rains, and snowmelt, can cause flooding. Cherokee Lake, Douglas Lake, and other lakes are considered tributary lakes. These lakes, when levels are drawn down, create room for this excess water which could create flood damage downstream if it flowed freely. So, if you have a home on the lake, when the water level is reduced, you will see less lakefront water and more lakefront land. TVA brings Cherokee Lake down 30 to 40 feet in the fall and the winter. If your home is at the far end of the lake, on a cove, away from the main channel, you will notice this more than if you are in other parts of the lake, where the drop is not as noticeable. When summer rolls around, and more recreation is taking place on the lake, TVA will raise levels again to support recreational activities like boating and fishing, which are important, but perhaps not as important as the other responsibilities TVA has in managing the lake. The first part of the question is addressed by realizing that TVA owns or controls much of the land rights around Cherokee Lake and other lakes. These areas are zoned for different purposes. There are areas of the lake where dock construction is limited to protect environmental, navigational, and/or scenic resources. TVA has an interactive map which will identify these areas. You happen to be in an area where dock construction is not permitted. Here is what I tell anyone that is interested in purchasing lakefront property. Ask the real estate agent, or the homeowner, if the property is what we call dockable. Even if there is a dock on the property, ask for the dock permit, which allows you to have a dock. The dock could be there and not be legally approved. If there is no dock onsite and you are told it’s dockable, verify this with TVA. Lastly, for those of you that are not from this area and don’t know how your property will look in the winter, ask the agent/homeowner how the property looks during that time of the year. And, again, verify, verify, verify. Neighbors can be helpful. Introduce yourself, ask about the neighborhood, AND THE LAKE. Google maps can show what the land looks like at different times of the year. In other words, do some research before your purchase.
