WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. –
As the Tennessee Valley Authority works to find the cause of a sinkhole and the source of seepage at Boone Dam, they continue to lower lake levels. Boone Lake is currently nine feet lower than typical winter lake levels.
One marina owner hopes TVA keeps levels where they are. Doug Sams owns Rockingham Marina on Boone Lake, and he said right now, he’s just had to make a few adjustments. If the lake drops any more this winter, he says he’s also looking at a drop in business.
The level of Boone Lake typically varies about 20 feet from summer to winter, but dropping any lower can cause some problems. “We’ve got the deepest water of any marina on Boone Lake, but you can see even now, this dock I’ve had to disconnect,” he said. “It’s being held with ropes right now. I had to disconnect that dock and swing it around to keep it in water where it’s floating.”