Old Hickory Lake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Old Hickory Lake
Old Hickory Lake - Old Hickory Lock and Dam
Old Hickory Lock and Dam
Location Tennessee
Lake type reservoir
Primary inflows Cumberland River
Primary outflows Cumberland River
Basin countries United States
Surface elevation 445 ft (136 m)

Old Hickory Lake is a man-made lake in north central Tennessee. It is formed by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam, located on the Cumberland River at mile 216.2 in Sumner and Davidson Counties, approximately 25 miles (40 km) upstream from Nashville. The city of Hendersonville is situated on the northern shoreline of the lake, and the city of Old Hickory is located on the southern side of the lake, just upstream of the lock and dam. The lake extends 97.3 miles (156.6 km) upstream to Cordell Hull Lock and Dam near Carthage, Tennessee. The dam and lake are named after President Andrew Jackson (nicknamed "Old Hickory"), who lived in the vicinity at The Hermitage.

The lock, dam, powerhouse and lake are operated and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' personnel under the direction of the District Engineer at Nashville. Construction started in January 1952, and dam closure was completed in June, 1954.

Historic Rock Castle, former home of Daniel Smith, who is known for his contributions in settling Hendersonville, TN, is located along this lake in Drakes Creek.

Old Hickory Lake is a mainstream storage impoundment on the Cumberland River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The reservoir contains 22,500 acres (91 km²) at an elevation of 445 feet (above sea level) and extends 97.3 river miles. Water level fluctuations are minimal with minimum pool elevation at 442 feet. Public facilities include nine marinas, three Corps-operated campgrounds, and 41 boat access sites, as well as the Old Hickory Lake Arboretum.


This article incorporates text that is a public domain work of the United States Government. Source: USACE.Army.Mil [1]