WATER / TVA

[Mikie]

What's the deal???????? Why does Tva not bring the water up by the 15th of April liked they used to do???? emoScratch It would help the spawn, plus give everyone more access to the lake. What ya think?

 

[churly]

May 15th is the full pool date since '04. TVA backed the full pool date up a month after the huge flood we had in spring of '03. Yes, it sux

 

[SpurHunter]

Keep in mind, TVA is in the water management biz, not the fishing biz. From all I have seen, the fish, (I assume your concerned about bass) are doing just swimingly.

 

[rsimms]

Yea, what they said.

Other than perhaps disrupting previous April fishing patterns, slowly rising water levels are not damaging to fish spawning success.

What is damaging is if we have an excessive rain event and the water levels rise especially high... and the TVA is forced to pull the plug and drop water levels dramatically at the peak of the spawn. That can potentially wipe out a full year-class of crappie or bass. Fortunately that hasn't happened in a long time.

I'm sure TVA water management officials are aware of the potential impact the water levels have on the fishery, but I also understand that their top priority has to be protecting lives and property. If we had been smart enough to NOT build our cities (cough, cough - Chattanooga) in the flood plain, it wouldn't be an issue.

But we did ... emoDoh

 

[SNUFFY]

Chicamauga ain`t the only lake in the system either !

 

[TKbigbass]

It was looking like the water level was on a slow steady rise but this morning I noticed Chick Damspill gates were open. TVA must be thinking a bunch of rain is on the wayemoScratch </p>

 

[Mikie]

They may be spilling because of all the water (flooding) North of here. I don't know if that would have anything to do with it.

 

[churly]

I heard tellico/London is in the bushes

 

[Carl Guffey]

<font size="3" face="georgia,palatino">Looking out the window, Loudoun is a little below full pool. Tellico is the same since they are connected by a canal. Came up from the last rain about two feet, but not above full pool.</font>

 

[Nauticman]

The flow is only 33K cfs. With all 4 generators running at Chick. Dam the flow would be as much as 47K cfs. Tva must have some generators down for maintenance and that's why they have some gates open or there must be some other reason.

 

[Carl Guffey]

<font size="3" face="georgia,palatino">Even after the large rains today water is just above full pool, but not out of it's banks yet.</font>

 

[Fishheadspin]

It is supposed to rain a lot this weekend. Probably just clearing out some space for storage.

 

[Carl Guffey]

<font size="3" face="georgia,palatino">Well after 2 days and 3.5 inches of rain, the water is up in the bushes. I have been out fishing the last two days and mybilge pump is wore out. I have been standing in puddles on my boat's front deck and the feet are a little pruned. But dang it was fun.</font>

 

[BRamsey]

The Chick is about 6 inches above full right now. I hope they don't drop it below the full level.

 

[jon the fisherman]

Watts Bar gained a foot or more today and is now out of the banks.

 

[buzz]

Over 9" above the average for the year. Enough already.

 

[Carl Guffey]

<font size="3" face="georgia,palatino">Up here we were 12" over at the end of January. It has rained every three days since.</font>

 

[BRamsey]

Chick is about a foot high now. Gonna go fish the bushes tomorrow.