Fontana Reservoir or What happened to the valley?

April 26, 2013

Bill wanted to canoe so we headed west towards Fontana Dam as the rivers and creeks around Cherokee run fast over many rocks and boulders.  The immediate area may work for whitewater rafting but we don’t want to punish our canoe. 

Fontana Lake was formed between 1942 and 1944 with the need for more electricity.  Creating Fontana Dam resulted in a reservoir29-mile long, 11,700-acre Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) lake has more than240 miles of shoreline.  For more details, read the linked pages.

Going west from Bryson City you pass Almond and come to the Lemmons Branch Boat Dock and Tsali Wilderness Area.  Well, we are at the top of the mountain and the lake is at the bottom so down we go towards the lake, opting to investigate Lemmons Branch first. The 17% grade almost stopped us but why not continue as we have descended several hundred feet towards the lake.  Finally there we find several trucks with boat trailers in the parking lot and a long concrete ramp to the water.  The water is gorgeous but the ramp is overkill for our little canoe.

Butterflies drying wings at the boat ramp

How about Tsali Wilderness Area, there may be a canoe launch.  So after a steep climb back from the lake to the mountain top we descend to the Tsali launch pad.  Ah, this is better; there is evidence of kayakers and a small boat.  The launch area is gravel with a gentle slope to the water. 

Lesson: 
Wilderness areas are for canoes and kayaks.
Boat Ramps are for boats.

The lake is clear and appears to be several feet low – yes feet not inches.  Small streams trickle from the mountain rocks and down the valleys to feed the lake.  The gentle splash of water from these streams breaks an almost eerie silence.  

We see a duck, ripple from a fish, a few minnows, one spot, and a few birds overhead.  Again the silence is broken by the call of a King Fisher.  There seem to be three other parties in this area of the lake today, two boats and kayakers, all are enjoying a walk on the bank.  Towards the end we find a landing spot to stretch our legs and examine the lake ‘bank’ which was once towards the top of the mountain. 

As we paddle back I consider the lack of life in this lake and ponder the homesteads, fields, and memories buried under the water.  Fontana Dam provides hydro-electric (clean energy) and a ready water source but at what cost?  Is progress always progress?