CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Members of a Middle Tennessee community are speaking out this week about a state plan to possibly drain Swan Lake in Dunbar Cave State Park.
On Tuesday, leaders with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation held a special forum to hear from residents about their plan.
The body of water has a long history in the area and many who live nearby are passionate that it should remain, according to Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.
The proposed change is part of a long-range strategic management plan.
"Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has a 10-year plan that they're working on. It's in draft form," said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.
Pitts said one part of the plan is pushing to essentially drain the lake.
"It would convert it into a creek and a natural area to provide for additional parking,” Pitts said.
After Tuesday's forum, Mayor Pitts said the choice for many locals in the area was clear.
“The consensus — without a doubt, it was a unanimous consensus — is to preserve the lake. That's a very iconic part of the park for both aesthetic as well as for recreational uses,” Pitts said.
In addition to hearing from neighbors on Tuesday, Pitts said state leaders also gave other insight into why they want to drain the lake.
"There's a dam and a spillway there at the lake that prevents it from flooding. They've not been able to get that fixed, repaired properly," Pitts said.
According to Mayor Pitts, leaders with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation listened to the concerns at Tuesday's meeting.
"I was very, very encouraged by the turnout and how good the dialog was. The state was listening, and so hopefully they took our comments to heart, and we'll go back and massage that and see if they can come up with a better plan," Pitts said.
TDEC provided a statement below.
"Tennessee State Parks has proposed implementing a cost-effective, comprehensive plan for Dunbar Cave State Park that would establish a creek channel designed to encourage visitors to enjoy fun and educational creekside access, stabilize the landscape and responsibly manage water resources at the park. The proposed plan would also add new recreational features to the park and make the park more accessible to visitors with disabilities while helping protect cherished Native American cave art dating back to the 14th century. The plan was developed following an extensive investigation by professional engineers.
Tennessee State Parks is looking forward to receiving feedback from the public on this proposed plan, which is part of the Strategic Management Plan for Dunbar Cave State Park to be finalized in early 2025 after consideration of public comments."
Click here for more information about the Dunbar Cave State Park Strategic Management Plan.
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