The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-06-02
WORK ON GREAT
COVE CREEK DAM
GETS UNDER WAY
INITIAL STEP I'm GIGANTIC
DEVELOPMENT OF TENNEs-
SEE BASIN PROJECT IN
ROOSEVELT PROGRAM
BY ROY E. HUTCHENS
{I,s Associated I'ressl

KNOXVILLE. Tenn. June g.
The rough, mountainous section
where for years the inhabitants
have gained livelihood from
small scale farming and coal dig
glng is awakening as President
Roosevelt's gigantic Tennessee ba-
sin project gets under way.
The stage is at the Cove Greek
dam site on tiny Clinch river.
which winds serpent-like through
the hills in its rush to the Tonnes
see river.
Already more than 100 men
U. S. army engineers and their
helpers have pitched their tents
in the area and polished their SUR
veying instruments preparatory to
running flowage lines for the huge
reservoir that will be created by
damming the river.
Site Near Knoxville
The Clinch river. born in south
west Virginia, is fed by a multi-
tude of Cumberland mountain
streams.
Twenty-Five miles north Of
Knoxville and about the same dis
lance from the Kentucky border,
the river bounds between s1opine
mountain sides. Its name comes
from Cove Creek, a small stream
emptying into the river few hun
bred yards above.
The dam, which engineers say
viii be one of the worlds largest,
will be 225 feet high, more than
twice the height of Wilson dam
at Muscle Shoals, ESQ miles south
eastward on the Tennessee.
Increase Power Below
Government engineers say the
dam will more than double the pri-
mary. or continuous 24-hour pow
er at some of the dams below on
the Clinch and Tennessee.
With IL possible dam sites de-
veloped, the river would produce
more than 100000 horsepower,
engineers have said, though the
immediate projects are only Cove
Greek dam and Dam No. 3 at
Muscle Shoals.
Cove Creek dam itself will gen.
crate only about 1000 horse.
power. It's importance Is chiefly
in storage capacities.
The reservoir will cover 50, 600
acres. or SO square miles. its wa
ters filling the valleys Of the Clincf
and it's tributary, the Powell river
Parts of five counties will be In,
undated Approximately I'll mile.
in length and liz miles il width
! the lake will have a capacity oi
g6, 900, 600, 900 cubic feet.
Reservoir Il Big Jeb
Preparing the reservoir flooI
viii be q gigantic task in itself. Al
timber must be cleared from The
heavily forested basin floor. Cav
erns that might turn water through
some other territory must b
plugged with cement
Scores Of cemeteries fs4aat b.
removed. Preliminary estimates
hase piacrd shs cost Of shis opera
ton alone al SIS. 2s0.
Village To Be Submerged
The cost 81 relocating railroads.
highways and bridges IL estimated
at mere than $4,000. 600.
Tie village Of Loystau vii
I lie as the bottom ~ more than zoo
feet Of water when the reservoir
is filled, and the coal mining towri
Of caryYiile will be partly sasb'
merged. scores 81 schools. church
- ard farm homes viii be eUysr.
Cd with water.
Esiesatsa made il 1880 placed
tho fetal cost a. ST So sS. ia
rlu8ing The main darn ~ 1884,
sgg. spsggaay nj gi.sifsss5a. pos
rs hoase 81 81. saa, ss7 ard bsrgs
life 1t ~, as3.s $50 bat Major Rsb'
sr h seyland, q. $. Arnsy ais.
tr,rs engineer ~ ehargs, ssys shs
slam can 10 bulls fer naueh iesH