Douglas Lake 

Douglas Lake Homes provide 513 miles of shoreline and about 28,420 acres of water surface for recreation activities. The water used to generate power at Douglas is used again and again at the nine TVA hydroelectric plants located along the Tennessee River from Knoxville to Paducah, Kentucky. Douglas Dam is 202 feet high and stretches 1,705 feet across the French Broad River. The water level in Douglas Reservoir varies about 44 feet in a normal year. 

There are 7 major lakes surrounding Knoxville. These are Cherokee, Douglas, Fort Loudoun, Melton Hill, Norris, Tellico and Watts Bar Lakes.

Melton Hill Lake is the smallest. This lake fluctuates day-to-day. It maintains water level consistently throughout the year.

Norris, Douglas and Cherokee Lakes are reservoir lakes. The water level varies the most on these lakes. Fort Loudoun, Watts Bar and Tellico vary 4 to 7 feet. These six lakes are lowered in the winter months, generally from mid-November to mid-April. Most folks feel it’s too cold to go out on the lake in those months. Personally, I feel year round view is important, not year round water. (It really is too cold on the water!) But that is just my opinion. 

For more information on lake levels, visit the TVA website – Reservoir Information, select the lake you are interested in and check the Operating Guides.