Boat Lifts and PWC Lifts on Watts Bar Lake

A boat lift or PWC lift on Watts Bar Lake goes on TVA's reservoir, so the starting point is the same as any other dock project: TVA's written approval for activity on its property. What's different is that TVA's dock rules never mention lifts by name. This page sets out what the rules do say that bears on a lift, why adding one to a permitted dock counts as a modification, how the lake's five-to-six-foot winter drop affects the decision, and the questions to put to an installer.

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A motorboat held clear of the water on a cradle lift under a dock roof — A motorboat held above the water on a cradle lift under a dock roof.

Lifts in TVA's rulebook

We found no mention of boat lifts or personal watercraft lifts in the text of TVA's Section 26a regulations.

Several rules still bear on a lift:

Approval first. TVA's FAQ says any activity on TVA property needs TVA's prior written approval through the Section 26a process.
Show it on the plans. TVA asks that plans include all proposed construction, and its FAQ names jet ski floats in that list.
One footprint. Docks, boatslips, boathouses and "other water-use facilities" tied to a lot must fit within a single 1,000 or 1,800 square foot area at the lakeward end of the walkway (1304.204(a) and (b)).
Modifying a permitted dock. TVA's FAQ says a previously permitted dock needs a new permit before any modifications.

How TVA counts a particular lift inside the footprint isn't spelled out in the text. Ask TVA, or have whoever prepares the application ask, before buying equipment.

Covered slips and lifts

If the lift will sit inside a slip, TVA's slip rules come along with it. TVA allows roofs on boatslips on Watts Bar, and covered slips may be open or enclosed with siding. Covered docks and boathouses are limited to one story. If the lift needs the slip widened, lengthened or re-roofed, the plans should show the whole change, not just the lift.

The winter water level

TVA keeps Watts Bar Lake at about 740 to 741 feet in summer and lowers it toward 735 feet starting November 1, holding main-river reservoirs lower until late April or early May. That five-to-six-foot range is what a lift on this lake has to live with. Ask any installer:

what depth the lift needs to raise and lower your boat,
whether there's enough water at the slip at the winter minimum, or whether the boat comes out for the winter,
how the lift is attached, and what happens to it as the water drops, and
whether a floating or fixed dock changes the answer.

The winter drawdown page has the lake-level details.

If the slip needs deepening

Digging to get more water at a slip needs TVA approval too. TVA's rule for excavating individual boat channels on its residential access shoreland allows one only when there's no other practicable way to get enough navigable depth, caps the material removed at 150 cubic yards, limits the channel to what's needed for three feet of water at the minimum winter elevation, and requires the digging to be done during the drawdown while the reservoir bottom is exposed and dry (1304.207). On the lower lake and the Clinch River arm, dredging permit requests also get Department of Energy review. See Clinch River arm and lower lake.

What a lift costs

We haven't found published boat lift or PWC lift prices for Watts Bar Lake. Local boat lift cost: [PRICE]. Local PWC lift cost: [PRICE]. If the lift is part of a dock modification, TVA's dock application fee is $1,000.

Questions for an installer

Will this need a TVA permit or a modification to my existing dock permit, and who prepares the drawings?
How does the lift fit inside TVA's footprint limit for my lot?
How does it work at 741 feet and at 735?
Does the slip need any digging? If so, is my lot on the lower lake or Clinch arm?
What's included: the lift, installation, power, canopy, and removal of anything old?
Can I see a certificate of insurance? Contractors are responsible for their own licensing and insurance.

Boat lift questions

Do I need TVA approval for a boat lift?

TVA's rules don't mention lifts by name, but TVA says any activity on its property needs prior written approval, and that modifying a permitted dock needs a new permit first. Ask TVA before installing.

Does a PWC lift count toward my dock size?

TVA's rule puts docks, boatslips, boathouses and other water-use facilities for a lot inside one 1,000 or 1,800 square foot area. How a particular lift is counted isn't spelled out, so confirm with TVA.

Will my lift work in winter?

That depends on the lift and the depth at your slip. The lake drops from about 740 to 741 feet toward 735 each winter, so ask the installer how it handles both levels.

How this site helps

Call (865) 445-5366 or send a request with your location, your boat or PWC, and your dock setup. We'll pass it to one independent local contractor who works on Watts Bar Lake. The referral is free.

Sources

Want a lift on your dock?

Call or send a request to reach one independent local contractor who works on Watts Bar Lake. The referral is free.