Douglas Lake, located at the foothills of The Great Smoky Mountains, is a scenic location with an interesting history. 

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Construction of the Douglas Dam began in 1942 as part of Tennessee Valley Authority’s hydroelectric expansion project.  With a 30-million-dollar budget and 6,000 laborers, the dam was constructed in 382 days, record speed for a project of its magnitude. Harnessing the power of the French Broad River, it produced electricity to support aluminum production as well as the Manhattan Project’s nuclear weapons research in Oak Ridge. The dam created a reservoir known as Douglas Lake that covers 45 square miles with over 500 miles of shoreline. 

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Douglas Lake, also known as Douglas Reservoir, is a flood storage reservoir. It helps with the overall water control in the Tennessee Valley. Its flood-storage capacity is 1,082,000 acre-feet. To prepare for the winter, TVA lowers the water level to make room for the runoff from winter storms. When there is a storm, TVA holds the water back by reducing releases from the dam, and when the rain stops, TVA gradually lets the water out to prepare for the next storm. In the summer when there is less risk of floods, TVA keeps lake levels higher to support recreation. In a year with normal rainfall, Douglas Lake’s water level varies about 44 feet from summer to winter. Douglas Lake is at its lowest level between November - March. 

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Today, Douglas Lake is a popular destination for families, fisherman, water athletes, campers, and bird watchers alike. Douglas lake is rated top 5 lakes for crappie fishing and top 10 for large mouth Bass and is often home of the Bassmaster Tournament.

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Source: https://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/douglas-lake-tn/interesting-facts-about-douglas-lake/