Boone Lake
Boone Lake is a reservoir in Sullivan and Washington counties in northeastern Tennessee, formed by the impoundment of the South Fork Holston River and Watauga River behind Boone Dam.[1]
| Boone Lake | |
|---|---|
  Boone Lake  Boone Lake | |
| Location | Sullivan / Washington counties, Tennessee, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°26′25″N 082°26′18″W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | South Fork Holston River, Watauga River |
| Primary outflows | South Fork Holston River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 4,400 acres (18 km2) |
| Water volume | 75,829 acre⋅ft (0.093534 km3) |
The dam and reservoir are maintained and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The lake has a surface area of about 4,400 acres (18 km2)[2] and a flood-storage capacity of 75,829 acre-feet (93,534,000 m3). Water levels in the reservoir fluctuate over a range of about 20 feet (6 m) over the course of a year.[1]
Boone Lake may house one of the smaller lakes that the state has to offer, but the lakefront real estate packs a southern punch - with the average cost of shorefront property sitting at a cool $1.37 million according to a 2020 study.[3] This places Boone Lake as the sixteenth most expensive lake shorefront property in the United States. At the time of the study, the dam repair was still underway; greatly reducing the accessibility, aesthetics and shoreline of the lake.
Recreational facilities on the lake include a swimming area and a boat ramp. Water skiing and fishing are popular activities on the lake.[1] Fish species in the lake of interest to sport fishermen include brown trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and striped bass.[4] There are precautionary fish consumption advisories for catfish and carp due to PCB and chlordane concentrations.[2][5] Children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are advised not to consume these two species, and other persons are advised to limit their consumption to one meal per month.[2]
Boone Lake is the public forum to discuss topics related to Boone Lake.
References
- Boone Reservoir information Archived May 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Tennessee Valley Authority
- Gregory M. Denton, Mercury Levels in Tennessee Fish Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, May 2007, pages 43-44
- Archived 2023-08-20 at the Wayback Machine, Redbook Mag
- Sport Fishing Index Ratings Archived 2007-04-27 at the Wayback Machine, Tennessee Valley Authority website (accessed June 8, 2008)
- Boone Reservoir Ecological Health Archived August 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Tennessee Valley Authority website (accessed June 8, 2008)
