Lingering storm recovery at Dale Hollow

Hatchery Creek priority projects:

• Continue lingering storm damage recovery by planting trees, turning the stumps into useful features, rebuilding picnic tables, shoring up erosion.
• Rebuild tables/benches that are wearing out due to age
• Reinforce the hiking trail erosion
• Add rocks to the slick mud fishing areas where visitors might fall
• Add grit to the fishing pier for fall safety
• Stain the new bridge and fishing pier to extend the life
• Completely rebuild the fishing pier due to age/rot (including securing funding)
• Rebuild the banks that are allowing hatchery creek flows to undercut the bank and create sinkholes
• Add rock, gravel, soil and plants to the bank across from the fishing pier to increase visitor safety
• Work with the US Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Wildlife Resource agency to increase trail and river access conditions
• Fell 18 more trees that are at or past end-of-life and becoming a risk (including securing funds)
• Burn the storm debris from last year
• Replace every lost tree with a native evergreen
• Add rip rap and hollow out creek pools that have filled over time

Help of partners is essential to increasing the quality at the hatchery creek area and Roy Sinclair, from the hatchery friends group continues to be a real asset along with hatchery staff in performing the physical and/or skilled labor. Completion estimate: 35-55% this year depending on funding and volunteers.