Pickwick Lake Tragedy.

[moguy1973]

9 hours ago, tjm said:

I would have thought dams like that would have cable above the danger zone? Are all these hydro dam spillways accessible by boat?

None of the TVA reservoirs have cables for some reason.  Seems after the first boat went over one they would.

[fishinwrench]

I probably shouldn't say this out loud....but I think it's time to reconsider who takes these kids out for the events.   I have a feeling that anyone with a boat is considered "qualified".  

[tjm]

Even before a boat went over, anyone that can think knows it will happen sooner or later. Surprises me, but I don't do lakes so had no idea.

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, moguy1973 said:

None of the TVA reservoirs have cables for some reason.  Seems after the first boat went over one they would.

How far away should the cable be with 200,000 CFS pouring over?  Tragic.

[Flysmallie]

44 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I probably shouldn't say this out loud....but I think it's time to reconsider who takes these kids out for the events.   I have a feeling that anyone with a boat is considered "qualified".  

I've been complaining about qualified boat drivers for a long time. It takes more than a fat wallet to be able to handle the power of some of these bass boats. It isn't like driving a car, not even a fast car. It isn't like driving the ol' fish and ski. And everybody wants bigger, faster, better, because that's the cool thing to do. 

[Mitch f]

3 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

None of the TVA reservoirs have cables for some reason.  Seems after the first boat went over one they would.

Totally agree

[Flysmallie]

4 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

None of the TVA reservoirs have cables for some reason.  Seems after the first boat went over one they would.

What lakes have cables?? I know I can get very close to the dam and gates at Stockton. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

13 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

What lakes have cables?? I know I can get very close to the dam and gates at Stockton. 

Tablerock, Bull shoals and Norfork have them...

[fishinwrench]

I'm totally unfamiliar with Pickwick, but you have 2 young men and 1 middle aged man in that boat, 3 cell phones, a trolling motor, and a paddle.   To allege that they couldn't keep the boat from getting sucked over the edge long enough for help to arrive is just......I dunno.    

Guess you just had to be there.   

Do we know what kinda boat/motor it was?

[jdmidwest]

TN valley lakes are completely different than anything I have fished here in MO.  We fished Cumberland River Drainage and they have big red balls and cables.  Would probably get sucked thru the gates at Pickwick.

Pickwick lake at the upper end backs up over shoal that gave Mussel Shoal its name.  It also starts a man made drainage at Yellow Creek about 5 miles above Pickwick Dam that runs south to the Gulf in a series of canals and lakes.

Pickwick and the TN river is a big river with barge traffic.  You never see much dredging going on to keep a channel open. It turns north and runs up thru TN and KY.  Kentucky Lake forms in the river below Pickwick and you normally see the upper lake start at Savannah where the boat was found.  I have seen them holding water in Kentucky Lake all the way up to Pickwick.  They operate the dam at Pickwick to where the lake levels never fluctuate that much except during fall draw down and spring rise.  Maybe 8-10 difference at most.  So, that generates alot of current thru the whole system.  Below the dam, water levels rise and ramps flood, but never on the lake.

We lost main engine on the Nitro back in the fall about 5 miles above the dam.  We were drifting around 3 miles an hour with the current and the dam was putting about 90,000 cfs at the time.  I think 6 gates were open with some generation also.  I can't imagine how strong with 200,000 cfs would be.  I have never been on the lake or river with that much generation.  Fishing is usually bad with that much going on.

They were from Obion County up around Reelfoot Lake.  They may or may not have known the dangers. 

Here is a shot below the dam last year with 8 gates open.  The river was fishable, but we could not get close to the dam due to the waves generated.  Probably 90,000 cfs there.