The work will consist of repairing the subsidence and stabilizing the shoreline to prevent erosion. APGI will also take advantage of the drawdown to install artificial fish attractors to improve aquatic habitat.
APGI worked with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop the corrective action plan and solicited help from several agencies in an effort to lessen the impact of the planned repair and reservoir drawdown. Together, these agencies and APGI have implemented plans to avoid or minimize adverse effects to historic properties, fish and wildlife, infrastructure and the residents of neighboring communities.
“We appreciate the valuable input and collaboration received from the Tennessee Historical Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and we look forward to continuing to work with them throughout the duration of this project,” said Ray Barham, Tapoco Technical Manager for APGI.
During the drawdown and construction period, some public access areas boat ramps and roads will be closed. These closures include:
- The Chilhowee Reservoir public access area
- Boat ramps at Pear Tree, Calderwood Village, Tabcat Creek, Gravel Pile and Happy Valley
- Mt. Pleasant Road at Chilhowee Dam (closed starting Aug. 29)
Other recreational facilities will remain open including Highway 129 day use areas, Chigger Beach and Pear Tree facilities for camping or picnicking. And, recreational areas at Tapoco’s other reservoirs – Calderwood, Cheoah and Santeetlah – will remain open.
“We apologize, in advance, for any inconvenience this may cause residents or recreationalists,” said Barham. “Our goal is to safely repair the embankment and then bring reservoir back to normal water level as quickly as possible.”
In the interest of safety and resource protection APGI, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the National Park Service and the Blount and Monroe county sheriff departments will be patrolling and monitoring Chilhowee Reservoir frequently during the drawdown.
Throughout the repair project, updates will be provided at www.alcoa.com/tapoco.
Chilhowee is a small, 1,734-acre reservoir located within Blount and Monroe Counties in East Tennessee along U.S. Highway 129. The reservoir was built in 1957 and is maintained by APGI. Tapoco is a division of APGI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alcoa Inc. The Tapoco Division of APGI supplies electric power to Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations, an aluminum smelting and rolling mill, located in Alcoa, Tennessee.
