Respect the Roads

Respect the Roads

We have all heard it before; “respect the resource.”  What does that actually mean?  It means we must work together to maintain and improve what we have. At Land Between the Lakes we place a tremendous focus on maintaining natural settings, scenic views, and healthy forests while balancing the needs of our diverse user groups.  Activities like habitat management, environmental education, camping, and hiking might seem unrelated; yet each one has the potential to affect the other. By being responsible, it is possible for everyone to enjoy the land for years to come. Turkey Bay Off-Highway Vehicle Area serves as…
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Nickell Branch Road Improvement Project

Nickell Branch Road Improvement Project

Road 102 just off the Woodland Trace National Scenic Byway leads to the Nickell Branch recreation area.  An estimated 15 thousand people frequented the 1.2-mile gravel route last year.  Heavy rains we received lately left it a bumpy road and in need of improvements. Kevan Paluso, transportation program manager at Land Between the Lakes, took me and Customer Service Manager Jeff Laird with him to see Road 102 first hand.  Kevan pointed out features and described a project proposal during a recent site visit. Where most people simply see a scarred gravel road, Kevan sees damage, roadside swale restoration, and…
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Winter Storm Road Repair Update

Winter Storm Road Repair Update

An update on roads brought to you by Jeff Laird, Customer Service Manager Roads throughout Land Between The Lakes were hit hard with damage following the winter storms and flood from December 2015 and January 2016. Most roads have been cleared of debris and trees that were brought down during the storms. Culverts have been cleaned at several locations to allow water to flow under, instead of over, roads. Road grading has been planned across Land Between The Lakes and will be completed later in the spring when roads dry out. Grading more severely damaged roads in the northern half of Land…
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Hillman Ferry Campground Improvements

Hillman Ferry Campground Improvements

By Gary Hawkins, Recreation Program Manager Camping season is just around the corner so dust off that camping gear! Hillman Ferry, Piney, and Energy Lake Campgrounds open for the 2016 season Tuesday, March 1. Check out the latest improvements, upgrades, and regular maintenance completed at Hillman Ferry Campground over the winter. Two picnic shelters at the Beach, and behind the Outpost were rehabilitated using revenue generated at Hillman Ferry Campground.   Due to poor water distribution during rain events, there were ongoing issues with deteriorating road conditions in A and B loops . Using soil and water restoration funds, capital improvement funds, and…
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Birmingham Ferry Backcountry Area Improvements 

Birmingham Ferry Backcountry Area Improvements 

By Gary Hawkins, Recreation Program Manager Sites at Birmingham Ferry Backcountry Area were in need of rehabilitation. We knew work had to be done. A portion of the revenue from Backcountry permit sales is set aside for improvement projects. These funds were used to rehabilitate and reinforce campsites at Birmingham Ferry where necessary to reduce erosion. This project was completed in December of 2015. We hope our campers at Birmingham Ferry enjoy the improvements...Happy camping! --Gary  
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Cravens Bay Campground Improvements

Cravens Bay Campground Improvements

By Gary Hawkins, Recreation Program Manager In May of 2015, several Land Between The Lakes staff met with campers who use Cravens Bay Campground. We wanted to know what was most important to campers at Cravens Bay. Maintenance and the current condition of the bathhouse were the two biggest topics. This meeting resulted in a project list for improvements for Cravens Bay Campground. All sites markers will be replaced. Completed August of 2015. The road drainage was reworked to allow better flow of water in storm events. Completed November of 2015 The current bathhouse will not be replaced but rehabilitated. The interior of the…
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Colson Hollow Road Upgrade

Colson Hollow Road Upgrade

By Gary Hawkins, Recreation Program Manager Colson Hollow Road 169 Creek Crossing Hardening Project Forest Service Road 169 is the access to Colson Hollow Group Campground. There is a low water creek crossing at the entrance of the developed recreation site. There have been intense storms that have deposited gravel in the crossing that made it difficult for many vehicles to use. The group that maintains the cemetery located at the back of the campground was having trouble using the crossing with mowers after storms. Planning and funding were in place in October of 2015. The creek crossing was stabilized…
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Sharing the Credit

Sharing the Credit

Dear visitors, friends, and stakeholders, I appreciate all the recognition lately for the upgrades and maintenance work completed at Land Between The Lakes this past year. However, it’s my staff that plans and prepares for the work to be completed here. Much of the work we plan years in advance while some work results from circumstances like the flooding we are experiencing this month. We complete a lot of work between our seasons from November through February. Some of it initiated by normal wear and tear; others are part of our regular maintenance schedule. Ongoing requirements In order to serve…
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What are you doing with our roads? How much does one mile of road cost to fix?

What are you doing with our roads? How much does one mile of road cost to fix?

  Q&A Roads The following questions were raised at our June 11, 2015 public listening session at Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park. What are you doing with our roads? How much does one mile of road cost to fix? Funding for roads is a shared responsibility between the Forest Service, Federal Highways Administration, State of Tennessee, and Commonwealth of Kentucky. We have approximately 465 miles of Forest System Roads, which include 148 miles of paved roads, 180 miles of gravel roads and 113 miles of natural surface roads. Emergency Repairs Additionally we have received funding from the Emergency Relief…
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Working Together-Kuttawa Landing

Working Together-Kuttawa Landing

  What happens when organizations decide to work together to make the world better? Check out Kuttawa Landing on our north end to find out. (General Map) When members of the Land Between The Lakes Sportsman’s Club attended our public budget reduction meetings back in 2012, they asked us if they could help. Eventually, the club decided to adopt Kuttawa Landing. Since then, members have installed several picnic tables. They also maintain the area by mowing and cleaning up the trash. We continue to work together on possible future improvements to the landing. Because of volunteers from LBL Sportsman’s Club,…
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