BLUE RIDGE, GEORGIA — The TVA and the Biden Administration have approved a plan to remove Blue Ridge Dam on the Toccoa River
The project has been in private discussion since Biden took office back in January. The dam removal could be completed by 2023.
Removing the dam will restore this part of the Toccoa River to its natural state by allowing it to regain a center channel and ripples from rocks that help in supplying oxygen to the water, said Trout Unlimited representative Ken Mock. Mark Singleton, President of American Whitewater, is also excited for the new Whitewater Paddling opportunities that this may create once Lake Blue Ridge is permanently drained. He estimates that several miles of Class IV whitewater exist under the lake.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, under the direction of the Biden Administration, will develop a restoration plan, oversee the project by seeking bids from qualified contractors and ask the community to do volunteer work on the project.
Besides the the TVA, Mock said the project has endorsements from several governmental and non-governmental groups such as the Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited, American Whitewater, the Georgia Conservancy, American Rivers, and the state departments of Conservation and Natural Resources and Environmental Protection .
“Amen. It is long overdue!” said Trout Unlimited and Trout Fisheman member John Berry.
Once completed, Berry said the Toccoa River will be better aerated, support more wild trout and forage fish, and free flowing from it’s headwaters in the remote upper reaches of Fannin County to the Tennessee State Line,
In addition to higher water quality and better fish habitat, Fach said removing the dam would reduce flooding by allowing the adjoining flood plain to absorb high water and restore a more rapid and healthier flows.
He added that the project is expected be funded by the TVA’s sale of land that is currently flooded by the lake. This will include several miles of new riverfront property that will demand a high price. Keith Sumner, and area home builder is looking forward to having additional riverfront lots to develop. He said, “Most of the good ones in the county are long gone, but this will create more!” Keith has already negotiated are 100 acre tract that will be used for the development of government subsidized Riverfront Apartments to meet the need of low income residents, including the massive influx of Haitian Refugees that will be relocated there.
According to, Flower Child, Lake Blue Ridge Homeowners were purposely left out of these negotiations as to not interfere with the administrations goal of redistributing wealth to these new immigrants. 3000 are expected to be located there by 2024. She also said “Those Lake People will still have their nice houses, but will now have to walk or drive to the water like everyone else”. Public access points to the uncovered river channel will be provide.