Cove Lake dam
Cove Lake
Cove Lake, located in Caryville, Tennessee, is a gravity dam on Cove Creek with a height of 37 feet and a hydraulic height of 30 feet. Completed in 1936, the dam provides a storage capacity of 3038 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 2100 acre-feet. The reservoir covers an area of 175 acres and drains a watershed of 41.6 square miles.
Managed by the Tennessee Safe Dams Program, Cove Lake has been deemed to have a significant hazard potential, but its condition assessment in January 2020 was reported as satisfactory. With a moderate risk level of 3, the dam undergoes inspections every two years to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. While the spillway is uncontrolled, the dam does not have outlet gates, and there are no associated locks on the structure.
Overall, Cove Lake serves as an important water resource for the region, providing recreational opportunities and supporting the local ecosystem. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the management and maintenance of dams like Cove Lake will be crucial in ensuring water security and mitigating potential risks associated with extreme weather events.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Cove Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bullrun Creek Near Halls Crossroads | 16 cfs | → |
| New River At New River | 48 cfs | → |
| Clear Fork At Saxton | 56 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek At Solway | 32 cfs | → |
| Clear Fork Near Robbins | 28 cfs | → |
| South Fk Cumberland River At Leatherwood Ford | 141 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cove Lake.
Boat launches
- Mountain View Road 332, Norris
- Wells Springs Road Campbell County
- New Henderson Road Anderson County
- Solway Park Oak Ridge
- Melton Hill Park Boat Ramp
- Morgan County Highway 3098, Wartburg
Campgrounds
- Cove Lake State Park
- Norris Dam State Park
- West Campground
- East Campground
- Anderson County Park
- Clinton / Knoxville North Koa
Paddle runs
- Kentucky Road 478 To Kentucky Road 679
- Kentucky Road 679 To Confluence Of Cumberland River
- Tn/Ky State Line To White Oak Junction
- 4 Miles Downstream From The Kentucky Highway 90 Bridge To Confluence With Cane Creek
- Center Bridge To Cumberland-Morgan County Line
- U.S. 127 Bridge To Morgan County Line
Track Cove Lake in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Cove Lake
Where does the data for Cove Lake come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Cove Lake.