Clinch??

[EarlOfSoDak]

Been waiting for someone else to ask this question for a few weeks now, so I figured I'd go ahead...
I heard there was a fire, malfunction, or something not good that happened to one of the generators at Norris Dam. Does anyone have the full story? More importantly, however, when can I fish there again (without swimming or floating)?
Thanks again-
Jamie

[waterwolf]

I heard something happened, but never heard what exactly it was. Whatever the case it is steady 1 generator. I wish it would turn off a little soon, before turkey season.

[ChemEAngler]

I heard something happened, but never heard what exactly it was. Whatever the case it is steady 1 generator. I wish it would turn off a little soon, before turkey season.

Same here, I am itching to get over there again.

[jmelrod]

Jamie, sorry I missed you and Ben on Saturday. Sounds like you all had some luck. I am worried about the Norris dam and any fix in the near future with all the problems TVA has in Roane county. Maybe the damage done by the fire is not major?

[EarlOfSoDak]

Didn't consider the Kingston mess. I bet by the time they turn the generator off, the fish will have forgotten what a fly is and we can catch 'em on size 2 chernobyl ants and mouse patterns off the top. Or, we can start a carpool up to Bristol. Maybe lobby for a speed train like they got in China. Now that's a ramble

[waterwolf]

The kingston mess has zero to do with Norris. Two different teams of people working on each problem.

Soon TVA won't have a choice and will turn it back to start filling the lake for Summer. All this water just gives the fish another little while to grow bigger, and dumber for the days when the water is off.

If we don't get any monsoons in the next few weeks, I bet you will see a once every 6 hour pulse regime begin.

[monktrout]

Shoulder seasons, spring and fall, are outage time for TVA. During times of decreased need for power, generators and turbines get rebuilt. Downstream needs at nuclear and steam plants may affect flow needs from upstram dams. Reservoirs with too little capacity downstream will call for low flows from upstream dams. If there is a major rebuild of a unit at Norris Dam we could see one generator until time to fill Norris Lake. Don't know if any of this is the issue at Norris. Could see sulfurs on the Clinch before tax day.

[ttas67]

I could only find one news story on it, which is very brief. From what I gather, there was a small fire in an electrical control room, and that prompted the shutdown of one generator. Of all the tailwaters, the clinch is the worst for generating at precisely the time I want to go fishing!

[waterwolf]

Shoulder seasons, spring and fall, are outage time for TVA. During times of decreased need for power, generators and turbines get rebuilt. Downstream needs at nuclear and steam plants may affect flow needs from upstram dams. Reservoirs with too little capacity downstream will call for low flows from upstream dams. If there is a major rebuild of a unit at Norris Dam we could see one generator until time to fill Norris Lake. Don't know if any of this is the issue at Norris. Could see sulfurs on the Clinch before tax day.

Sorry, but I feel you have posted some pretty false info in your post. TVA generators heavily during Sept and Oct. or Fall, to draw the lake down to winter pool. They generally begin filling the headwater reservoirs in Mid-March, the only thing which effects either is rainfall. Neither have anything to do with power needs.

Sulfurs by tax day Why because of the warm weather? You do realize that in the Clinch the water temps do not vary more then 3 or 4 degrees all year. The coldest water usually comes in the summer, and the warmest in November. So according to what you assume we should not have bugs until November.

Sulfurs and other mayflies hatch approx. 1 year from when the eggs were laid the year before. It is just nature, and that should coincide with the first part of May. Sure you may have a handful trickle off all year, but the true hatch will be the first part of May, just as it has always been for 20 years or more.

Tailwaters don't change with the seasons the same as a freestone stream. The water remains fairly constant in temp, and the fish/benthics are on a very set pattern.

[EarlOfSoDak]

Hey- looks like we can wade again at 1 am, perhaps things are returning to normal... maybe some off-season night sulfurs??