Melton Hill Lake 

Melton Hill Lake Homes provide nearly 193 miles of shoreline and 5,470 acres of water surface for recreation. Melton Hill is the only TVA dam on a tributary stream with a navigation lock. The dam is 103 feet high and stretches 1,020 feet across the Clinch River. The navigation lock at Melton Hill has a 75- by 400-foot chamber and a maximum lift of 60 feet.

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.