Dam causes problems with McKenzie residents
This video is no longer available.
McKENZIE, Tenn. — A local lake vanishes within two weeks after gushing water from heavy rains caused a dam to burst. Residents stood at the edge of the lake in shock at the site. “You know, this is the fishing spot in McKenzie for children and adults,” Teri King said, a McKenzie resident. King and her family have enjoyed Carroll Lake for more than 30 years, and said the sight is upsetting. “Everybody in McKenzie that’s associated with Carroll Lake is devastated. This is probably worse than any storm that’s come through here,” King said. A lake that took years to fill up has emptied in less than 2 weeks, after storms early this month forced too much water to push through the levy and damage the dam’s gates. “The thing was built in the 1940s, so they’ll have to take measurements on the gates and figure out how to rebuild the new gates and then a crane to replace them,” Alan Peterson said, West TN Regional Manager of Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. McKenzie residents said whether people fish in the area, it was a great place to come for all sorts of recreational activities, and now community members have to take those activities elsewhere. Peterson said although it will take years to get the lake back in order, there will be improvements. “Hopefully we can take advantage of this problem to do some work on the lake bottom and make the fishing even better once we reopen it,” Peterson said. King said in the meantime, residents will be at a loss. “This was the place to have outside activities, because the lake was pretty. It’s gonna be missed until it’s back up and running again for sure,” said King. TWRA says for now, residents will be asked to fish at the Thousand Acre Lake in Carroll County.
