Page 10 - Vol34No7 MarchApril2017
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Fall Creek Falls from page 9 arrived to replace the motor. Weather miles per hour. This would prove to be
forecasts indicated strong winds and one of the largest reported contributors to
representation of Tennessee’s “Volunteers” heavy rains over the next several days. It the rapid progression of the wildfires in
in action in my career. The way that was decided to measure the water levels the Smoky Mountains.
multiple state and municipal agencies, of both the Fall Creek Falls Lake and the
multiple engineering firms, multiple Bee Creek Reservoir to see how much On December 1, TDEC convened a
contractors, and multiple vendors came they gained if the area did get rainfall. meeting of all interested parties to discuss
together to make this happen in a week Two of Taft’s three intakes were above the regional water supply alternatives to
was inspiring. water, and there was only approximately prevent future water shortages during
8 feet of water left in the reservoir. droughts in the future. The meeting was
We Did What They Said Can’t Be Whatever debris had clogged one of the scheduled several weeks in advance of the
Done… raw water pumps had partially cleared, rains, but as Deputy Commissioner Hill
so at least one of their pumps was nearly indicated “It’s tough to talk about drought
Final checkout and authorization by back to capacity. The Pikeville WTP after five inches of rain just fell.” During
TDEC to begin producing water came on was getting by and was able to keep the a break, TDOC/Taft WTP personnel
November 16, and potable production Bledsoe County Correction Complex were texted to see how much the Bee
began at approximately 11:30 PM that supplied with water primarily because of Creek Reservoir level had increased.
night. With the help of so many, a a farmer who had volunteered to use his The Fall Creek Falls State Park Lake
500,000 gallon per day treatment plant irrigation equipment to pump about 300 levels had been measured that morning,
was designed, permitted, procured, GPM from the Sequatchie River to the and the water level had only increased
constructed and commissioned in treatment plant. To say that things were six inches, and almost five of that had
just under three weeks. It wasn’t the held together with a wing and prayer fallen on the lake. The Taft operators
prettiest or the easiest plant to run, but would be an understatement. texted back that the reservoir was full
it functioned well and produced potable and overflowing the spillway. Therefore
water. The most significant snag hit And Then It Rained… after the conference, on site water levels
during operation came the night before were confirmed. The reservoir was in
Thanksgiving when the motor on the Over the next two days, it rained fact full! The plant personnel were in
high service pump failed. Xylem showed between 4 and 5 inches at Fall Creek Falls disbelief and assured us that they had
up late that night, but determined that it State Park, at the Taft plant and reservoir, never seen such a thing. Over the next
could not be repaired and would have to and in Pikeville. Winds immediately week, the groundwater levels in Pikeville
be replaced the following Monday. preceding these rains averaged 40 miles also replenished to normal levels. While
per hour, with gusts clocked at over 70 at the time of this article the National
On Monday, November 28 Xylem
10 TPW March/April 2017
