Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 32

TROUT POND, MOUNTAIN LAKE, LOST SEA
Disappearing Lakes of the
Southern Appalachians
The three natural lakes of the region are endangered.
By SU CLAUSON-WICKER
same Trout Pond Recreation Area of the
George Washington & Jefferson National
Forests. The larger, stream-fed lake is now
the place folks go for swimming, boating,
and fishing.
Southwest Virginia's Mountain Lake,
home of Mountain Lake Lodge, has also
been pulling a disappearing act since
2008, leaving behind only cracked mud
and a small pond. While the levels have
been fluctuating for the past 13 years, the
lake has never come back enough to make
a paddling outing worthwhile for anything
larger than a water bug.
Geologists theorize that the lake was
W
West Virginia's Trout Pond, in Hardy
County, was full in 2003 when the upper
shot was taken. Leakage out of what
was until recently a blocked limestone
sinkhole has reduced the pond to its
current level, as seen immediately above.
32 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
ell, " endangered " is not
exactly true. Natural lakes
have always been scarcer
than partridge teeth in
the southern mountains.
" Lakes " in this region are
overwhelmingly humancreated
reservoirs. Only three mountain
lakes exist in the seven southern Appalachian
states-and two have shrunk into
ponds, while the third is hidden underground
in a Tennessee cave.
West Virginia claims Trout Pond in
Hardy County as its sole natural lake. The
pond covers less than three acres of what
has been discovered to be a blocked limestone
sinkhole. Because of a shift in the
rock bottom, Trout Pond has been shrinking
between rains.
Native trout no longer swim in Trout
Pond's waters, although nearby manmade
Rockcliff Lake is doing fine in the
formed by landslides filling a shallow
gorge thousands of years ago. Landslides
and shifting rocks, it turns out, make unreliable
dams. They are pitted with gaps
and holes that open and close without
warning, allowing water to leach out.
At Mountain Lake-as with Trout
Pond-when surface water is abundant,
the water remains high, and the wet sediment
layers keep the leaks in the rock bottom
in check. But droughts can worsen
the effect of the leaching, drying up the
sediments and creating more holes. Often
it's cyclical. Although there's no record of
Trout Pond emptying in the past, geological
records indicate Mountain Lake has
ebbed and filled for thousands of years.
The southern mountains' other natural
lake, Lost Sea in Sweetwater, Tennessee, is
holding its own-with its " disppearing "
attribute being simply that it's underground.
In fact new layers have been discovered
by cave divers. While measured
in acres rather than miles, it is one of the
world's largest underground lakes.
http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM

Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022

Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 1
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 2
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 3
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 4
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 5
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 6
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 7
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 8
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 9
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 10
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 11
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 12
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 13
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 14
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 15
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 16
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 17
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 18
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 19
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 20
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 21
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 22
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 23
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 24
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 25
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 26
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 27
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 28
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 29
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 30
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 31
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 32
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 33
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 34
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 35
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 36
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 37
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 38
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 39
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 40
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 41
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 42
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 43
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 44
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 45
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 46
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 47
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 48
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 49
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 50
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 51
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 52
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 53
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 54
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 55
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 56
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 57
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 58
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 59
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 60
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 61
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 62
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 63
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 64
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 65
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 66
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 67
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 68
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 69
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 70
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 71
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 72
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 73
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 74
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 75
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 76
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 77
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 78
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 79
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 80
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 81
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 82
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 83
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 84
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brcja21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com