Despite delays, Carroll Lake expected to re-open in early 2017

CARROLL COUNTY, Tenn. — Carroll Lake might look dry and barren now, but in just a few months it is expected to reopen to the community.

Carroll County has been working with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to refill the lake after it ran dry when floodwaters damaged the spillway more than two years ago.

County Mayor Kenny McBride says it should take between 60 to 120 days to refill the lake after the new floodgates are sealed.

“It was really ugly, just an empty hole,” he said about the state of the lake. “It really just took away from the beauty of our county by not having that lake.”

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation inspected the new gates earlier this month but found they were not yet sealed correctly.

The TWRA says it should be repaired within the next two weeks. After that they will start the refilling process.

One thing TWRA is working to enhance is the fishing experience. They will be adding fishing peninsulas to the lake so people can fish in more areas.

Many types of fish will be added to the lake once it is refilled, but people will not get to use the lake for fishing until spring of 2020, when the fish are expected to be fully grown.

The TWRA is also working on adding boat paths and adding more places to fish once the lake is reopened.

Alan Peterson with the TWRA says they are working on making the lake even more enjoyable than ever before.

“Hopefully the people in that area will be able to enjoy the lake for a long time,” he said. “And hopefully it will be a long time before we get a flood like that to mess up the gates again.”