The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing two streambank stabilization projects for Center Hill and Dale Hollow Lake.
Nashville Corps of Engineers Project Manager Stephen Logan said the projects will restore streambanks that have experienced erosion downstream from the Center Hill Dam and the Dale Hollow Dam. Logan said the projects are needed badly for public safety concerns.
“We currently have camp sites at both Center Hill, Long Branch Campground, and Dale Hollow Campground closed,” Logan said. “Some camp sites are closed to the public because of these eroded banks and safety concerns.
The public comment period for the proposed projects ends this Thursday. Comments can be made by calling the public affairs office or by email. Logan said public comment is helpful in moving the project forward.
“We are still early on in the planning phase, so public comment is very important,” Logan said. “We want to establish how the public uses these areas and what they use them for when they use them, so that way, we can minimize our impacts to the public whenever we are able to develop a plan and design, and then construct these projects.”
Logan said the Corps of Engineers is considering two different processes to stabilize the streambanks. Logan said one method is using toe stabilization, which would armor the bottom of the bank below the water level and above the water level to try to avoid future erosion. Logan said the other avenue is using environmental methods.
“Such as root wads that would be armoring the toe as well,” Logan said. “Filling in with dirt, filling in with different rock in a certain way to help armor the bank, and to also re-establish the campgrounds on top.”
Logan said a timeline of when the project will come to fruition is still unknown at this time. Comments concerning the project can be directed to the Corp.
