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 sove ...

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

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 t ...

Hydrology

The reservoir has a surface area of about , a

flood A flood is an overflow of water ( 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 an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...

-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 ca ...

concentrations in the

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of w ...

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 the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as ...

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, and

red clay Ultisols, commonly known as red clay soils, are 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 continu ...

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

Natural history

Black bass Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

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 ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...

, crappie, 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 (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...

in the communities of

Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principa ...

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 control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...

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 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 (September 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 beyond the we ...

, 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 an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural ...

. Public boating access areas, Panther Creek State Park 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. ...

, commercial boat docks, lakefront resorts, RV and tent campgrounds, and a state

wildlife management Wildlife management is the management process influencing interactions among and between wildlife, its habitats and people to achieve predefined impacts. It attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best availabl ...

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 sports 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. 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 other water ...

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

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. 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 concentr ...

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