Crossville Flashback: 16 years ago Crossville Council looking at new lakes near Meadow Park Lake

Alternative lake location from 2001

Another alternative lake location from 2001

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CROSSVILLE FLASHBACK from June 2001

Council studies possible new lake locations.

The Crossville City Council continues working toward expansion of the city’s water production capability and approved Lamar Dunn & Associates to prepare a preliminary cost estimate on a detailed engineering study of a new lake on Meadow Creek.

Council reviewed some very preliminary maps and size estimates prepared by Tim Begley of the city’s planning office. The maps show two possible dam and lake locations with the areas that would be flooded. Begley prepared the maps based on topographic profile maps and he advised council some additional geologic issues need to be studied.

The maps compare the current Meadow Park Lake and two separate possible lakes down stream on Meadow Creek. In the first option, a single large dam is built below the current lake and the existing 266-acre lake plus the new impoundment totals 640 acres. The now existing lake becomes part of the new larger lake and increases the old lake’s depth by 2 feet. The total estimated volume of the proposed lake, including the increased level of the current lake raised 2 feet would be almost 4 billion gallons of water.

A second possible option is to go farther down stream where the creek gorge is deeper and build two dams that would create a 450-acre new lake. Under this option the current Meadow Park Lake would not be affected. The second proposed lake would be longer and narrower creating a 450-acre lake. The total volume of the new lake would be 3.6 billion gallons in addition to the current Meadow Park Lake.

Also mentioned was the possibility of raising the height of the dam and the water level of the second lake from the 1760 to 1800 elevation level that could create a lake holding some 20 billion gallons of water.

Councilman Wyatt praised Begly’s work and added, “The next question is, what will it cost?”

The meeting answered a few questions, but many of questions still remain, including the question of whether or not there is enough water in Meadow Creek to fill a lake of the size proposed.

Bob Burnett who lives in the area of Meadow Creek addressed the council and said that while he is not an engineer, “I don’t know where the water will come from to fill this lake.” Burnett said he has lived on the creek for 20 years and often there is no water at all in the creek during the dry days of summer.

While all the options are in the very early stages, Mayor Graham said water harvesting from other area rivers might be one possible solution.

The Mayor reminded the council members that such a lake project would be substantial. “We’ve spent 7 million for a water treatment plant, but this is the big one!” emphasized Graham. “This one will hurt.”