Chickamauga Dam is the fourth of the TVA's main river projects, and is located 20 miles northeast of Chattanooga. Construction began in January 13, 1936 and the dam went into operation four years later. Chickamauga Lake runs for 59 miles and is immediately downstream from Watts Bar Lake and immediately upstream from Nickajack Lake. It is an impoundment on the mainstream of the Tennessee River. The major tributary is the Hiwassee River which enters at river mile 500. Chickamauga was completed in 1940 by the Tennessee Valley Authority for flood control, hydroelectric power, navigation and recreation. Chickamauga Reservoir has 784 miles of shoreline and about 36,240 acres of water surface.

The area offers two state parks, two county parks, four municipal parks and two wildlife centers. There is considerable development on the lower end of the lake near Chattanooga. The TVA maintains eight recreation areas around the lake.

Chickamauga got its name from a tribe of indians that broke away from the main body of the Cherokee Nation. The Chickamauga tribe lived in villages nearly a mile long all along the Chickamauga Creek which flows into the main river body just below the dam.

Full pool for Chickamauga lake is 682 feet above sea level; the current lake level can be checked here. The normal operating zone is between 675 and 677 ft through the end of March, rising steadily to a summer range of 681.5 to 682.5 by the middle of May. Then, full pool is maintained through the end of August, at which time the level drops steadily back down to 676 ft by the end of November. Actual lake levels will, of course, vary due to weather conditions and power needs.

Water is very fertile and moderately clear. Dissolved oxygen concentrations are good, especially during years of high rainfall. Low oxygen concentrations can be found at the Watts Bar Dam tailwaters where the discharge from the turbines enters the river.

The counties surrounding Chickamauga Lake include Rhea County, Hamilton County, and McMinn County.

Legal length limts for the LBAA tournament are:

Largemouth and Spotted Bass- 15"

Smallmouth- 18" with a maximum of one per day!

Take-Off Information