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Nickajack Dam is located about 30 miles downstream to the west of Chattanooga, and
was built to replace the old and leaking Hales Bar Dam located about six miles
upstream. The Hales Bar Dam lock and power house are still visible above Nickajack
Lake. The lock has since then been converted to a coal barge terminal.
Construction of the reservoir began April 1, 1964 and the filling of the lake began
September 14, 1967. Two days after closing the gates on the dam the lake was full.
The initial cost of the Nickajack Reservoir project was $73,000,000, and took about 6.7
million man hours to complete.
At the time of construction of the Nickajack Dam, plans were being made by the TVA for
future growth and a 110 foot by 800 foot underwater structure for a lock to be created
at a later date when it was needed.
Nickajack Dam contains four hydroelectric units generating 96,000 kilowatts of
electricity.
The lock at the Nickajack Dam is 600 feet by 110 feet and is used for navigation of
barges and towboats down the Tennessee River. The lock can lift as many as nine
large barges at one time 41 feet above Gunther Lake. Some of the commodities
passing through the lock are soybean oil, coal, steel products, petroleum, pulp wood,
wood chips and salt.
Nickajack Lake has a total of 215 miles of winding shoreline, 10,370 acres of surface
area and is 46 miles long, extending up to Chickamauga Dam. The watershed (which is
the area of land providing drainage to the reservoir) for Nickajack Lake is 21,900
square miles. Nickajack Dam was named for Nickajack Cave located about a mile
upstream.
The counties surrounding Nickajack Lake include Marion County and Hamilton County.
The spectacular scenery of the Tennessee River Gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of
Tennessee, offers a scenic backdrop for a variety of lake activities available on
Nickajack Lake including boating, fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, swimming, camping,
public parks, public access areas, picnic areas and more. On both sides of the river
below the dam are fishing berms and a concrete fishing pier with foot bridges and
wheelchair ramps.
was built to replace the old and leaking Hales Bar Dam located about six miles
upstream. The Hales Bar Dam lock and power house are still visible above Nickajack
Lake. The lock has since then been converted to a coal barge terminal.
Construction of the reservoir began April 1, 1964 and the filling of the lake began
September 14, 1967. Two days after closing the gates on the dam the lake was full.
The initial cost of the Nickajack Reservoir project was $73,000,000, and took about 6.7
million man hours to complete.
At the time of construction of the Nickajack Dam, plans were being made by the TVA for
future growth and a 110 foot by 800 foot underwater structure for a lock to be created
at a later date when it was needed.
Nickajack Dam contains four hydroelectric units generating 96,000 kilowatts of
electricity.
The lock at the Nickajack Dam is 600 feet by 110 feet and is used for navigation of
barges and towboats down the Tennessee River. The lock can lift as many as nine
large barges at one time 41 feet above Gunther Lake. Some of the commodities
passing through the lock are soybean oil, coal, steel products, petroleum, pulp wood,
wood chips and salt.
Nickajack Lake has a total of 215 miles of winding shoreline, 10,370 acres of surface
area and is 46 miles long, extending up to Chickamauga Dam. The watershed (which is
the area of land providing drainage to the reservoir) for Nickajack Lake is 21,900
square miles. Nickajack Dam was named for Nickajack Cave located about a mile
upstream.
The counties surrounding Nickajack Lake include Marion County and Hamilton County.
The spectacular scenery of the Tennessee River Gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of
Tennessee, offers a scenic backdrop for a variety of lake activities available on
Nickajack Lake including boating, fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, swimming, camping,
public parks, public access areas, picnic areas and more. On both sides of the river
below the dam are fishing berms and a concrete fishing pier with foot bridges and
wheelchair ramps.
- Hales Bar Marina and Resort
- 1265 Old Hales Bar Road
Guild, Tennessee, 37340
(423) 942-9000
www.halesbarmarina.com
- Harbor Lights Marina
- 9718 Hixson Pike
Soddy Daisy, Tennessee 37379
(423) 842 - 5391
www.hlmarina.com
- Lakeshore Marina
- 5600 Lake Resort Terrace
Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37415
423-870-2000
www.lsmarina.com
| Area Marinas: |
| Lake information provided by: |
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