BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said they are moving forward with a "tentatively selected plan" to remove two dams on the Little River: the Rockford Dam and the Peery's Mills Dam.
Both dams are in Blount County, and one has been the site of several drownings. In 2019, a 13-year-old girl drowned at Peery's Mill Dam. Another 33-year-old man drowned there around a year before, in 2018. Peery's Mill Dam is a low-head dam, which can create deceptive currents that can trap swimmers.
The dam was a mill site and the location of Peery Brothers Mill after 1905. It was a tourist attraction until the late 1980s when it burned down and only the dam remained.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District sent a letter on Aug. 1 saying after considering comments from the public, agencies and stakeholders they decided to go forward with a tentative plan to remove Rockford Dam and Peery's Mill Dam. Originally, they also considered removing Townsend Dam.
Their Draft Detailed Project Report with Integrated Environmental Assessment showed the tentatively selected plan would not cause significant effects on the quality of the surrounding human environment, so an Environment Impact Statement would not be required.
The plan includes removing around 187 ft. of the Rockford Dam and 237 ft. of Peery's Mill Dam, with bank stabilization occurring at both sites. They recommend placing around 1,800 ft. of half-bank rip sap above the Rockford Dam and using two stream barbs and 500 ft. of native species seeding along the banks near Peery's Mill Dam.
They also recommended mitigating an emergency water intake maintained by Alcoa within the pool of the Rockford Dam.
A public meeting about the plan is scheduled for Aug. 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Blount County Public Library, located at 508 N. Cusick St. in Maryville. Question-and-answer officers are also scheduled for 2 p.m. through 4 p.m.
Comments can also be sent by email to "CorpsLRNPlanningPublicCom@usace.army.mil" no later than Aug. 31 to make sure they are considered in the final documents.
