View Full Version : fontana levels
Ashepabst
06-18-2008, 22:11
last year fontana was ridiculously dry. is it still as low these days? what about other area lakes?
has the area seen any respite from last year's drought?
casey
Bulldawg
06-18-2008, 22:12
Not much relief in NE GA. This spring looked like it might be a good spring and summer for rain, but has since almost ceased.
last year fontana was ridiculously dry. is it still as low these days? what about other area lakes?
has the area seen any respite from last year's drought?
casey
http://www.tva.com/river/lakeinfo/op_guides/fontana.htm
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-19-2008, 06:10
Fontana Dam has been undergoing inspection and some major repairs. TVA often lowers lakes to very low levels during this process. While I'm sure the drought played a part in lowering all lakes, the low level of Fontana last year was mostly due to lowering the lake for routine inspection.
The lake wasn't particularly low at the end of May.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v425/bearpawat99/GSMNP%20AT%20May%2008/031a.jpg
Ashepabst
06-19-2008, 18:10
here's what it looked like in October, last year...
http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=182829409/PictureID=4037146918/a=9023988_9023988/t_=9023988
here's what it looked like in October, last year...
http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=182829409/PictureID=4037146918/a=9023988_9023988/t_=9023988
Wow, that is low. Fortunately, the drought has greatly diminished as of this Winter and Spring. I don't yet know what the Summer and Fall will hold, but Fontana Lake is decent now and all the springs on the southern section of the GSMNP AT were flowing strong in late May. I suspect the northern 40 miles will be the same when we hike it in a couple of weeks.
I have to think FD hit on it when she explained the intentional lowering of water level preceding inspection and repairs of this past Spring.