Lake in the Sky (Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake in the Sky |
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 Lake in the Sky
Location in Tennessee
Lake in the Sky
Location in the United States
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| Coordinates | 35°39′19″N 83°54′27″W / 35.655187°N 83.907398°W |
| Primary inflows | Flat Creek |
| Primary outflows | Flat Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3,000 feet (910 m) |
| Max. width | 500 feet (150 m) |
| Surface area | 52.5 acres (21.2 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 2,008 feet (612 m) |
Lake in the Sky is a man-made lake found in Blount County, Tennessee. It was created by building a dam across Flat Creek. This lake is located right in the middle of a small community called Top of the World.
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Where is Lake in the Sky?
Lake in the Sky is a small lake nestled in the mountains. It sits on the side of Chilhowee Mountain. A road called Foothills Parkway runs nearby to the northwest. The famous Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also close by, to the southeast.
The lake is in an area known as The Flats, which is a flat part of Chilhowee Mountain. The land around the lake is quite rugged and hilly. Lake in the Sky is about 2,008 feet (612 m) above sea level. The closest big town is Townsend, Tennessee.
About the Lake
Lake in the Sky is part of the larger Little River water system. It is located near the start of Flat Creek, which is a smaller stream that flows into Hesse Creek. The dam that created Lake in the Sky is at the north end of the lake. This dam was built in 1966, forming the 52.5-acre (21.2 ha) lake we see today. Flat Creek is not a river that boats can travel on.
Even though Lake in the Sky is not used to control floods, it is one of several dams in Blount County that might help protect against flooding.
Interesting Creatures in the Lake
Scientists have found a special kind of freshwater jellyfish in Lake in the Sky. Its scientific name is Craspedacusta sowerbii. This type of jellyfish is not originally from this area, but it has spread to many places across the United States.
Downstream from Lake in the Sky, Flat Creek had higher levels of iron in its water during the fall and summer of 2003. This is important because Flat Creek flows directly into a stream where trout fish are raised and released.
The Community Around the Lake
Long ago, an explorer named Juan Pardo might have visited the area where the lake is now. This was during his trip in 1567–68. He reportedly found a small reddish stone that an expert thought might contain silver.
Today, a small community called Top of the World Estates surrounds Lake in the Sky. The local fire department, Blount County Fire Protection District, has one of its stations (Station #8) right on the east shore of the lake.
