Local officials and business owners in Hiawassee received welcome news this week about the future of Lake Chatuge, the economic lifeblood of the northeast Georgia mountain community.
The Tennessee Valley Authority has narrowed its options for repairing the lake’s aging dam, and the latest plans likely won’t require significant water drawdowns during peak tourism months. Earlier proposals had included the possibility of lowering the lake by up to 20 feet for as long as eight years — a scenario that could have crippled the local economy, which depends heavily on visitors from May through September.
Under the updated timeline, construction would begin in late 2027 or early 2028, with any necessary drawdowns taking place during the fall and winter, when tourism slows.
“We can definitely work with that,” Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw said. “We’re very happy and thankful for them listening to us and acting quickly.”
TVA project manager Chris Saucier emphasized the 83-year-old Chatuge Dam remains safe. But recent studies show that under extreme storm conditions — like those seen during recent hurricanes in Georgia and North Carolina — the dam’s spillway could be vulnerable to damage.
The TVA plans to conduct socioeconomic studies this summer and release an environmental-impact statement later this year. According to Saucier, the project’s schedule and duration will become clearer once design and construction contractors are brought on board, likely in 2026.
“We’re still trying to refine these (time estimates) and make them better,” he said.
For business owners like Kevin Clem, who runs Boundary Waters Resort and Marina, the TVA’s update came as a relief. He said his operation could not have survived a yearslong lake drawdown. Clem was an active participant in SaveLakeChatuge.org, a grassroots effort that engaged state officials and rallied residents to express their concerns to the TVA.
“It shows that when a community like ours is united,” he said, “it can give us a better outcome to protect us for the future.”
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