NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A dry spring in Middle Tennessee is doing more than delaying rain in the forecast — it’s changing the shoreline and the safety picture on one of the region’s most popular lakes.
Percy Priest Lake is sitting about five feet lower than normal, exposing rocks and other hazards that typically hide below the surface. The Army Corps of Engineers says the lake’s reduced depth has created dangerous conditions for boaters, who are now navigating waters that look — and behave — very differently.
“When something goes wrong on Percy Priest Lake, this is who you call,” said Todd Loggins, owner of Tennessee Towboat and Underwater Recovery Services. Loggins pulls stranded boaters off the water and hauls damaged vessels back to shore.
“A lot of times they’re taking on water, so I have to pump them out to rescue the boat and get the people in safely,” he said.
From there, many boats end up at Unlimited Outboards in Nashville, where owner Shea Cleary has seen business spike.
“It’s been really busy since the water’s been down,” Loggins said. “Most of the time, when you hit something, it’s rock.”
Low lake levels, paired with seasonal warming, mean more people are taking their boats out — often without realizing how close hazards are to the surface until it’s too late.
Busted propellers, bent shafts, and hull damage are all on the rise, with repairs running costly — especially for those without insurance.
The reason for the drop? This spring, the rain simply hasn’t fallen.
“We’re about five to 10 feet lower than we want in the reservoirs in terms of rainfall that we need,” said Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Chief of Water Management Section, David Bogema. “We can control releases from the reservoirs, but we rely on Mother Nature to give us the rainfall to fill them.”
The Corps says it would take about two to three inches of runoff to begin replenishing Percy Priest, but dry ground and vegetation are likely to absorb much of any rain that does fall.
Forecast models hint at relief early next week, with two to three inches of precipitation possible — enough to make a dent in the deficit.
Until then, officials urge boaters to slow down, stick to navigation channels, and wear life jackets.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District says Center Hill and Dale Wolf Creek Lakes are also very low.
It's has been a dry spring for us. Nashville is over 6 inches below normal for rainfall for the year with Clarksville over a 9 inches deficit. Kim Rafferty went to a nursery to get a couple of tips that may be useful for you.
- Lelan Statom
