Boone Lake Draw Down

What a difference five months makes. With the draw down of the Boone Reservoir to repair the leaking Boone Dam, there have been dramatic changes to the shoreline. These photos were taken near the Winged Deer Park Boat Ramp -- on April 11th and Sept. 8th. The draw down was necessitated by the discovery that the integrity of the dam, north of Johnson City, had been compromised by underground water seepage. The Bristol Herald published some good articles this week on the dam's problems, the impact on local property owners and the steps the TVA will take to resolve the issues (click here and here).

It is stunning to see not only how low the reservoir is right now, with boats suspended dozens of feet above the ground, but the rapid growth of vegetation in what was only recently the muddy lake bottom.  The bad news for homeowners, marinas and those who enjoyed boating and fishing on the lake is that the TVA estimates it will take 5-7 years to fix the dam. To read more about the draw down and the ways the TVA will repair the dam, visit the TVA's website: click here.

Lakeview Marina

Went to lunch yesterday at the "Marker 2 Grille" at Lakeview Marina located near the Tri-Cities Airport. I've always heard about the marina, but never visited. What a great find! Wonderful food, terrific view! The outdoor pavillion is huge - I imagine it's a lot of fun at night! From their Facebook page: "THE REGION'S LARGEST & BEST LAKESIDE DECK on BOONE LAKE! featuring GREAT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT DAILY & FANTASTIC FOOD!"

Click here to view their FB page, which has a map with directions and restaurant hours.

Boone Lake Fun

Boone Reservoir was created in 1952 with the completion of Boone Dam on the south fork of the Holston River. It offers a very nice public beach -- and lots of picnic tables looking over the lake. It's located just off of Route 75, west of the Tri-Cities Airport, so if you're ever out that way, check it out.

I like this shot of Hannah and her dad, Tim, as they play in the warm light of late afternoon and the cool waters of the Boone Reservoir after a picnic celebrating Tim's 28th birthday.

Yes, I'm having a little too much fun playing around with Lightroom 2 presets. Can you tell? This is one of my favorites, inspired by the bold look of the movie "300". Presets, in case you're wondering, are pre-selected settings (think of them as shortcuts) that make it easy to quickly obtain a specific look. Lightroom is awesome -- if you have it and want to get some free presets, click here. I think this whole preset thing will just be a fad for me -- something I'll eventually get over. But if it's okay with you, I'd like to share some more 'preset' shots with you this week.