No, it has not been done yet. I appreciate the need to "protect the archeaological resources," however I am bummed that we continue to turn the Tennessee River into a great big, monolithic rock ditch!
I wrote the below 7 years ago:
I’ve been stewing over this for a while. I’ll forget about it for a day or two, and then I’ll drive down Amnicola and Riverside Drive, and about the time I’m ready to wave at Philip D. Glass on the Tennessee American water tank, my frustration returns.
I look across the river and it slaps me in the face like a wet blanket. Riprap... big gray chunks of limestone obliterating the natural landscaped shoreline. We are turning the Tennessee River into nothing but a drainage ditch.
The latest riprapping on the river is along Heritage Landing, just upstream from the Walnut Street Bridge on the west bank. The condominiums and apartments were built many years ago, and initially included a picturesque tree-lined buffer between the riverside buildings and the water. But rivers by nature, are constantly evolving.... moving like a living creature. And people who live in the path don’t like it.
That’s what started happening along the river... erosion. Some natural, some enhanced by the human activity. Boats create waves... waves increase erosion.
Believe it or not, the decline in the popularity of fur is indirectly one of the worst causes of erosion. Not many decades ago, beaver pelts were much sought after. In the old days, they were akin to gold. Coats, hats, shawls, blankets, and almost anything else were fashioned from the plush fur of beaver.
But now we’ve got polyester, and it seems ladies and gentlemen of today have no use for beaver pelts. Therefore the price has plummeted so trappers won't waste their time on them. That, coupled with society’s general dislike for the art of trapping has given rise to an over-population of beavers. The Tennessee River is literally overrun with the big rodents.
The swamps and backwaters created by beaver dams are great for wildlife and water quality. Bbut around here, most beavers don’t build the traditional lodges you’ve seen pictures of. Most Tennessee Valley beavers dig holes in the bank of the river. Big, deep holes where they rest and rear their young. It’s not unusual for a beaver den to extend 20 or 30 feet back from the river’s edge. It’s not a huge problem if there’s a network of tree roots to stabilize the dirt and hold it in place. But take away the trees, add a few huge beaver holes in the bank, mix in the massive wake of a few houseboats and cruisers... and you’ve got the perfect formula for mind-numbing erosion.
That’s what’s been happening along Heritage Landing and the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club, and will probably continue to happen in other places up and down the river. Folks started worrying that their homes and golf greens were going to slide off into the river (which they eventually would have).
So, here comes the rip rap man.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure it’s all been done legally. No doubt they’ve accumulated all the appropriate permits from the Corps of Engineers, TVA, TN Dept. Of Conservation and Environment, Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga, and all the other government entities which are supposed to help protect the environment.
But almost all wildlife species need diversity in their habitat. Deer thrive best where there is a mixture of hardwood forests, open fields, and dense thickets. Fish are the same way. They need a diversity of habitat... some rock, some wood, small gravel shoals, or sandy bottom. The Tennessee River beneath Chickamauga Dam is slowly becoming a monoculture habitat. Rocks, rocks and more rocks.
The news may not be all bad. TWRA Manager and Biologist John Mayer says while it may not be perfect, rip rap can be better for fish than an eroded mud bank. "Rip rap is a cheap quick fix," says Mayer. "Biologically it’s not a good as a natural setting, but it's probably better than an eroding bank."
Some say that could be the reason for the increase in smallmouth bass beneath Chickamauga Dam. Smallmouth, in general, prefer a rocky, gravel substrate... at least more so than largemouth bass. But TWRA Asst. Chief of Fisheries says there's a more important factor. " It (rip rap) may have had some effect on the smallmouth, but the big thing is improvement in water quality. Kentucky Lake has seen the same thing."
Legal or not, well constructed or not, necessary or not, maybe even helpful for fish in some ways.... few people will deny the fact that the massive stretches of rip rap are ugly as hell!
Am I asking folks to let Heritage Landing slide off into the Tennessee River?
No. But what I am saying is that the riverside condos never should have been allowed to begin with. Rivers erode; they flood, and even occasionally go dry. It’s all part of the natural scheme of things. Try as we might, pour all the concrete and rip rap in the world, and we can’t change it.
The only thing we should do is stay out of its way. Some folks are figuring that out. Many government groups have finally starting buying people out of their homes, rather than continually allowing taxpayers to bear the burden of paying for flood relief.
It’s simple, just get out of the water’s way and let the river be a river.
