Underwater towns in TN

[Aric]

I was wondering if anyone has dived any underwater towns in TN? Ive been researching and have found several that were flooded when various dams were built. Just wondering if anyone has dove any of these.

[snagel]

What have you found?

S. Nagel

[finflippers]

I believe that the structures was torn down prior to the flooding on most of the lakes. Some of the maps will show where buildings was but they are not there anymore. I have been told that there is a lake in Kentucky that still has buildings in it.

I do know where a bridge is that is intact and flooded in Chilhowee Lake. There is a Cabin Cruiser in Cherokee Lake (which I might be diving on Thursday).

[Aric]

I do know where a bridge is that is intact and flooded in Chilhowee Lake. There is a Cabin Cruiser in Cherokee Lake (which I might be diving on Thursday).

I was told by my instructor that there is alot of underwater hazards in Cherokee lake? How the diving there? Whats the water temps like this time of year on Chilhowee and Cherokee lake?

[finflippers]

I have not been diving them in a few months but I would guess Cherokee to be in the 50's around this time. I will know after Thursday LOL. You can run into hazards in these lakes around here. The area I will be diving is off of is the earth part of the dam and there are three boats and a monument for a diver down there.

Chilhowee is COLD even in the summer. I do not know if it gets colder in the winter or not but I dive it in a 5mm in the summer when I am diving other lakes around here in skins.

[sgarland]

I haven't dove any in TN, but come north a little into KY and you can find several when Lake Cumberland was built. The largest that was covered was Burnside (about an hour from the KY/TN line). Of course with the drought and the dam leaking this summer, you could walk on the old town.

A good tool is the old USGS maps, you can download for free from
Kentucky Division of Geographic Information :: DGI :: KYMARTIAN

be warned the lake ranges to 450 feet deep and is cold, muddy, with heavy boat traffic in the summer. If you use a marker up top the boaters don't realize what it is. Its best to have someone top side watching out for you.

[MicahEW]

normandy lake in shelbyville TN is a good one the water is really down but there are tons of structures. there are even underwater springs those are pretty cool.

[texdiveguy]

I haven't dove any in TN, but come north a little into KY and you can find several when Lake Cumberland was built. The largest that was covered was Burnside (about an hour from the KY/TN line). Of course with the drought and the dam leaking this summer, you could walk on the old town.

A good tool is the old USGS maps, you can download for free from
Kentucky Division of Geographic Information :: DGI :: KYMARTIAN

be warned the lake ranges to 450 feet deep and is cold, muddy, with heavy boat traffic in the summer. If you use a marker up top the boaters don't realize what it is. Its best to have someone top side watching out for you.

Lake Cumberland/Ky....I was thinking its deepest point was around 200ffw....(?)

[mike_s]

Dale Hollow Lake I think still has some underwater structures.

[sgarland]

your right - Lake Cumberland is a deep water lake, approximately 200 feet deep near the dam, with an average depth of 90 feet at summer pool. Normal summer pool elevation is 723 feet above sea level with 50,250 surface acres and 1085 miles of shoreline. The Army Corps of Engineers reduces the lake level in winter to prevent flooding in the spring. Winter pool elevation ranges from 690 to 673 feet above sea level. Even at the minimum winter level, Lake Cumberland boasts 35,820 surface acres.

But I will say my depth finder goes to 200' and blinks off in several places in this lake. I was quoting a web page I had read from memory- sorry for the confusion