SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Boaters are already back at Boone Lake enjoying the 2023 lake season while the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) manages their “spring fill” of area lakes.
Businesses like Boonies Restaurant and Pizzeria are looking forward to the boost boat activity brings.
“See the pontoons, the speedboats, we love to see the lake activity coming in,” said co-owner of Boonies Restaurant and Pizzeria, Amy Morris.
It’s a time when they start to see familiar faces as well.
“Usually they ride their boats in to eat and everything,” said Morris. “They sometimes don’t drive to come in… so we will see those familiar faces back.”
There’s more activity to come as the lake continues to fill.
“It is that time of year,” said TVA spokesperson, Scott Brooks. “We do what we call the spring fill which is restoring reservoir’s levels all across the Tennessee Valley to their summer pool level.”
After years of low lake levels on Boone Reservoir – this return to normal means more than a full lake to the community.
It means TVA is resuming its normal channel of communication with landowners, businesses and the community.
“We have regular communications with lake owners’ associations all across the valley,” said Brooks. “We also have a pretty robust online presence. People can go onto TVA dot com and check the reservoir levels up to the hour.”
TVA said they have been holding off on the amount of water they are allowing into Boone Lake because of the lack of rain we have had so far this year.
They said the lake is on schedule to be at what’s called “full pool” by May 21.
