Watts Bar Lake

About Watts Bar Lake

Halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, Watts Bar Lake was dubbed the "King of the Southern Great Lakes." It borders the Tennessee River, whose catchment area was created by Watts - Bar Dam, and is home to a population of about 2,000 people.

It was built to generate hydropower for the war effort during World War II as part of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USAAF). Construction of the dam began in 1939 and was completed in 1941, a few months after Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese.

Watts Bar Lake is one of nine reservoirs on the Tennessee River managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Together, the reservoirs form the largest reservoir in Tennessee and the second largest in the United States. Water levels fluctuate by about one meter, with the Mississippi and its tributaries and the Cumberland River being the main waterway. Millions of tonnes of cargo are transported through the Watts Bar Lock, which lifts and lowers boats and barges into the reservoir.

Watts Bar Lake stretches for 72.4 miles from Watts Bar Dam to Fort Loudoun Dam, and millions of people visit the lake every year. Some locals say it's too big to be crowded, but boat rentals, including houseboats, can be rented for as little as $1,000 a day for a day trip.

Fishermen find bighorn, small and black perch challenging, but there is also a variety of small mouthfish, large mouthfish and white perch. Sport fishing is rated high on the TVA system's list, and anglers can find a wide range of species, from small mouthed bass to large mouthed bass, from challenging BIGHORN to the small mouthed black bass.

You can sunbathe and swim on the shore of the lake, and cool off for a few hours on the beach or on a picnic area in the warm water.

The Roosevelt Wildlife Management Area is a great place to see and hunt wildlife, and there are also several campsites in the area. Birds love the lake, so bird watchers will see a wide variety of birds and other wildlife such as deer, elk, coyotes, foxes and other animals.

With more than 640,000 acres, Cherokee National Forest is one of the largest national forests in the United States and is ideal for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities. To enjoy Waters Bar Lake and its beautiful views from your car, take the scenic highway and start at the park entrance and take the road to Watters Bar.