Norris Lake, Tennessee, USA

Also known as:  Norris Reservoir

Just 25 miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee, Norris Lake is the first reservoir created by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Named for Senator George Norris, author of the legislation that created the TVA, Norris Lake is 129 miles long and surrounded by plenty of secluded coves to explore. Extending 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell from Norris Dam, Norris Lake was filled…
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    • All About Norris Lake, TN

    Lake Locations: USA - US South Region - Tennessee - East Tennessee -

    Just 25 miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee, Norris Lake is the first reservoir created by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Named for Senator George Norris, author of the legislation that created the TVA, Norris Lake is 129 miles long and surrounded by plenty of secluded coves to explore.

    Extending 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell from Norris Dam, Norris Lake was filled in 1937. Construction on Norris Dam was started in 1933 just after the TVA was created, and the dam was completed in 1936. It’s the largest flood control storage reservoir on a tributary of the Tennessee River. The area around Norris Lake gets around 45 inches of rain a year making the lake an important tool to prevent flooding. In winter, the reservoir water levels draw down around 30 feet to prepare for flood storage.

    The city of Norris was a planned community built to house the people that worked on the dam. Based on the English Garden Movement, Norris consisted of 12 basic Appalachian style houses which were some of the fist all electric homes in the area. In addition to building the town, the TVA also established parks including Cove Lake and Big Ridge that became the nucleus of the Tennessee State Park System.

    Big Ridge State Park has over 15 miles of maintained trails and camping. Its 3,600 acres are heavily forested and offer plenty of chances to see wildlife and explore. Loyston Point Recreation Area is run by the TVA with camping, swimming and trails along Norris Lake. Norris Dam State Park has over 4,000 acres for camping, hiking and exploring with lots of wildflowers and songbirds. In 2005 the TVA opened a new Visitors Center at the dam. Nearby, the Lenoir Museum Cultural Complex includes the Lenoir Pioneer Museum, an 18th century rice gristmill, and the Crosby threshing barn.

    Norris Lake is large enough to support all kinds of water sports. There is boating, waterskiing, and swimming, and excellent fishing. There is some controversy about stocking striped bass in the lake, but Norris Lake is also stocked for crappie and walleye. The lake also supports healthy populations of rockfish and bass. The Tennessee state record brown trout was caught in the Clinch River below Norris Dam.

    With its miles of shoreline, secluded coves, beautiful water and diverse history along with everything Knoxville has to offer, Norris Lake is sure to become a favorite getaway.

    Things to Do at Norris Lake

    These are some activities in the Norris Lake, TN area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Boating
    • Swimming
    • Water Skiing
    • Camping
    • Hiking
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • State Park
    • Museum

    What Kind of Fish Are in Norris Lake?

    Norris Lake has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Brown Trout
    • Crappie
    • Perch
    • Striped Bass
    • Trout
    • Walleye
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    Find Places to Stay at Norris Lake

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    More Sites to Book a Norris Lake Vacation

    Our interactive Norris Lake lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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    Norris Lake Statistics & Helpful Links

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    Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

    Water Level Control: TVA

    Surface Area: 33,840 acres

    Shoreline Length: 809 miles

    Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 1,020 feet

    Minimum Elevation (Min Pond): 982 feet

    Maximum Elevation (Max Pond): 1,034 feet

    Average Depth: 75 feet

    Maximum Depth: 196 feet

    Completion Year: 1936

    Water Residence Time: 245 days

    Lake Area-Population: 1,920

    Drainage Area: 2,912 sq. miles

    Trophic State: Oligotrophic

    Norris Lake Map
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