Cherokee Lake, also known as Cherokee Reservoir, is an artificial reservoir in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

formed by the impoundment of the

Holston River The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee ...

behind

Cherokee Dam Cherokee Dam is a hydroelectric dam located on the Holston River in Grainger County and Jefferson County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The dam is operated and maintained by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in ...

Hydrology

The reservoir has a surface area of about , a

flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

-storage capacity of , and nearly of shoreline.Cherokee Reservoir
factsheet, Tennessee Valley Authority In a normal year, the lake water level fluctuates over a range of about . In order to maintain

dissolved oxygen Oxygen saturation (symbol SO2) is a relative measure of the concentration of oxygen that is dissolved or carried in a given medium as a proportion of the maximal concentration that can be dissolved in that medium at the given temperature. It can ...

concentrations in the

river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

below the dam at levels that will support aquatic life, perforated hoses suspended above the bottom of Cherokee Reservoir are used to inject

oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

into the reservoir water and devices which resemble large underwater fans located just above the dam are used to push warm oxygenated water downward to the depths where water is released for hydroelectric generation.Water Quality Improvements at Tributary Dams: Cherokee Dam
, Tennessee Valley Authority

Geology

Silt loam,

slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...

, and

red clay Ultisol, commonly known as red clay soil, is one of twelve soil orders in the United States Department of Agriculture soil taxonomy. The word "Ultisol" is derived from "ultimate", because Ultisols were seen as the ultimate product of continuous ...

are commonly found in the basin and surrounding shoreline of Cherokee Lake.

Natural history

Black bass Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''Psy ...

sauger The sauger (''Sander canadensis'') is a freshwater perciform fish of the family Percidae that resembles its close relative, the walleye. The species is a member of the largest vertebrate order, the Perciformes.Jaeger, Matthew. 2004. Montana's ...

walleye The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the walleyed pike, yellow pike, yellow pikeperch or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern ...

crappie Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers. Etymology The genus name ''Pomoxi ...

, various sunfish, and the usual rough-fish species, are often found in the reservoir.

History

From 1940 to 1942, the

Tennessee Valley Authority The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolin ...

(TVA) began purchasing property and performing acquisitions by

eminent domain Eminent domain, also known as land acquisition, compulsory purchase, resumption, resumption/compulsory acquisition, or expropriation, is the compulsory acquisition of private property for public use. It does not include the power to take and t ...

in the communities of

Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the List of cities in Missouri, 16th most popu ...

in Jefferson County, and Bean Station in Grainger County, for the construction of

and the impounding of the Holston River for Cherokee Lake. Many residents, at first in refusal, would reluctantly give up their farms and homes for the promise of

flood control Flood management or flood control are methods used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters. Flooding can be caused by a mix of both natural processes, such as extreme weather upstream, and human changes to waterbodies and ru ...

and electricity offered by the TVA. For Bean Station, the Cherokee Project included wiping out the site where the town was originally settled. Of the 195 to 200 families who lived at the original site of Bean Station, 140 were mandated to move by the TVA. Because of the historical significance, size and potential relocation problems presented with Bean Station, officials from the TVA, the Tennessee state government, and concerned community members gathered to discuss the future of the town and its relocation efforts in 1941. A planning commission from the state government and TVA personnel developed plans for sites for Bean Station to relocate to as a community. After controversy arose from negotiations from unwilling property owners, and reluctance from citizens to relocate as a town, the

planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

relocation project was abandoned, having Bean Stationers relocating on their own will. The reservoir was would be filled after the construction of

near Grainger-Jefferson border in 1942. The dam, operated by the TVA, is used for

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

generation and flood control. The dam was built on a crash schedule; construction started August 1, 1940, and was completed on December 5, 1941. The dam and the reservoir were named after the Native American tribe of the same name by the TVA, as before the Holston's impoundment, the area was once inhabited by the tribe. The Great Indian Warpath, once used by pioneer

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

, lies in the basin of the reservoir.

Economy

Cherokee Lake in recent times has seen a large transition into a popular recreational

tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beau ...

. Public boating access areas,

Panther Creek State Park Panther Creek State Park is a state park in Morristown, Tennessee, United States. It is located prominently on the shore of Cherokee Lake, an impoundment of the Holston River The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennes ...

and other

public parks A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...

, commercial boat

docks The word dock () in American English refers to one or a group of human-made structures that are involved in the handling of boats or ships (usually on or near a shore). In British English, the term is not used the same way as in American Engli ...

, lakefront resorts, RV and tent campgrounds, and a state

wildlife management Wildlife management is the management process influencing interactions among and between wildlife, its Habitat, habitats and people to achieve predefined impacts. Wildlife management can include wildlife conservation, population control, gamekeepi ...

area on the shores of the lake attract extensive recreational use, such as swimming, boating, paddling activities (such as canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding), camping, water sports, and fishing. The lake is also home to a

sailing club A yacht club is a boat club specifically related to yachting. Description Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a mari ...

and

regattas Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water body, water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and ...

are hosted seasonally on its waters. Since the lake has a greater fish density than most reservoirs maintained by the TVA, it has become one of the most popular for anglers in the

East Tennessee East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...

region. In 2019, Cherokee Lake was ranked #20 by Bassmaster of the top 25

bass fishing Bass fishing is the recreational fishing activity, typically via rod-based angling, for various North American freshwater game fishes known collectively as '' black bass''.Henshall, James A. (Dr.), ''Book of the Black Bass'', Cincinnati, OH: R ...

lakes in the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and t ...

. In October 2020, the reservoir was the location of the 2020 Bassmaster Eastern Open

tournament A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...

References

External links

TWRA Cherokee Reservoir Access MapCherokee Reservoir Recreation Areas (TVA)

{{authority control Holston River Protected areas of Grainger County, Tennessee Protected areas of Hamblen County, Tennessee Protected areas of Hawkins County, Tennessee Protected areas of Jefferson County, Tennessee Tennessee Valley Authority Reservoirs in Tennessee Bodies of water of Grainger County, Tennessee Bodies of water of Hamblen County, Tennessee Bodies of water of Hawkins County, Tennessee Bodies of water of Jefferson County, Tennessee 1941 establishments in Tennessee Tourist attractions in Hamblen County, Tennessee Tourist attractions in Grainger County, Tennessee Tourist attractions in Jefferson County, Tennessee Tourist attractions in Hawkins County, Tennessee