Water: Wilson Dam Alabama

Well, I'll be dam'd, we all will in the name of progress. That’s the take the federal government of America has been spinning since Wilson Dam’s first conception was approved in 1916 and the project was completed in 1925: 9 years from approval, 7 years of building, and here we are 110 years later. Let’s take a look at Wilson Dam, Lake Wilson, what changed in the landscape then, and the impacts now.

The Wilson Dam project was approved under the National Defense Act. During WWI the government needed to produce nitrates to use in explosives and ammunitions, and the dam controlled the water that powered the electrical production. It included construction of the dam, as well as two plants dedicated to creating synthetic nitrates.

During production employment ranges from 4k workers per day and 18k-20k workers on the project total including the army corps and contracted. I could not find reliable estimates on how many people were employed by the dam or plants during operations mainly because the project was not completed prior to the end of the war and was never used in operation for its purpose.

Let's look at the land that was impacted for this project.

~Tennessee River Muscle Shoals reach, Alabama: impounded into Wilson Lake. What it was: free-flowing river reaches with shoals, rapids, and shallows
~Muscle Shoals, Alabama: submerged under the Wilson Lake reservoir pool. What it was: natural shoals/rapid system
~Big Nance Creek, Alabama: lower reach incorporated into Wilson Lake.

What it was: tributary creek / freshwater stream
~Bluewater Creek, Alabama: lower reach incorporated into Wilson Lake.

What it was: tributary creek.
~Town Creek, Alabama: lower reach incorporated into Wilson Lake.

What it was: tributary creek.
~Shoal Creek, Alabama: lower reach incorporated into Wilson Lake.

What it was: tributary creek.

What are these bodies of water?

~free-flowing river reach: a section of river that moves in its natural current without being stopped into a reservoir by a dam

~shoals: naturally shallow areas in a river, often with exposed rock, sand, or gravel that make the water faster or harder to pass through

~rapids: fast-moving, turbulent sections of a river where water rushes over rocks or a steep drop in elevation

~shallows: parts of a river or creek where the water depth is low

~shoals/rapid system: a connected stretch of river made up of multiple shallow, rocky, and fast-moving sections

~tributary creek: a smaller stream or creek that flows into a larger river or water body

~freshwater stream: a natural flowing body of non-salt water, usually smaller than a river

What are their natural processes with life supported in their natural state?

~free-flowing river reach: typical function moves water, sediment, nutrients, and oxygen downstream through a watershed. typical life supported: fish, mussels, aquatic insects, amphibians, turtles, river birds, riparian plants, and mammals that use riverbanks for water and shelter

~shoals: typical function: create shallow, oxygen-rich flow zones and break upriver current over rock, sand, or gravel. typical life supported: mussels, snails, crayfish, small fish, spawning fish, aquatic insects, algae, and birds that feed in shallow water

~rapids: typical function: rapidly aerate water, increase oxygen levels, and move water quickly through steep or rocky sections. typical life supported: oxygen-dependent fish, insect larvae that cling to rock, crayfish, mosses and algae on rock surfaces, and predators that feed on fast-water species

~shallows: typical function: provide low-depth, warmer, slower-access water near edges or bars and support feeding and nursery zones. typical life supported: small fish, fry, amphibians, aquatic insects, wading birds, turtles, and shoreline plants

~shoals/rapid system: typical function: combine shallow flow, turbulence, oxygenation, and varied habitat across one connected river section. typical life supported: mixed fish populations, mussel beds, crayfish, insect larvae, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and plant life adapted to wet rocky margins

~tributary creek: typical function carries water from smaller drainage areas into a larger river and transports sediment, nutrients, and organic matter. typical life supported: minnows, sunfish, amphibians, crawfish, aquatic insects, turtles, birds, wetland-edge plants, and mammals using creek corridors

~stream: typical function continuously moves non-salt water through the landscape, linking uplands, floodplains, and larger rivers. typical life supported: fish, salamanders, frogs, macroinvertebrates, mussels in some systems, aquatic plants, birds, and mammals such as otters, beavers, and deer.

Let's look at Lake Wilson:

~Fish: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill, sauger, freshwater drum.

~Mussels: freshwater mussels, including restored mussel populations in the Wilson Dam tailwater and Tennessee River system near the lake.

~Reptiles and amphibians: turtles and amphibians supported along shoreline and creek-mouth habitat.

~Birds: reservoir and shoreline birds, including wading and fish-feeding birds using the lake edge and tributaries.

~Aquatic insects: insect life supported in tributary mouths, shoreline habitat, and connected freshwater zones.

~Mammals: mammals using shoreline and tributary corridors around the reservoir.

Let's isolate the decline in life:

~native freshwater mussels: major decline
~shoal-dependent species: habitat loss and decline
~oxygen-sensitive aquatic life: ongoing stress under low dissolved oxygen
~tailwater mussels below Wilson Dam: repeated die-off risk
~overall native river biodiversity: reduced from pre-dam conditions

So what is Lake Wilson really?

~tourism industry: fishing, boating, camping, RV camping, scenic recreation, and reservoir visitation

~fishing tourism: marketed especially around trophy smallmouth bass and sport fishing

~campground / access infrastructure: RV sites, tent and primitive camping, electricity, water, sewage, bathhouse, and boat ramp access

~visitor economy role: part of the broader TVA reservoir recreation system used for leisure travel and outdoor recreation

~property market: active waterfront home and land market around Wilson Lake

~Muscle Shoals property values: current median listing price around $329,900 to $334,000

~luxury waterfront segment: listings reach into the seven figures, including around $1.5 million to $2.24 million

With the war ended, and original intention now null and void, the project was readapted in 1933 it was transferred to the Tennessee Valley Authority, and its original mandate was to improve the Tennessee Valley through electric power, river navigation, flood control, land management, and regional development.

Current operations:

Wilson Dam services: about 350,000 to 400,000 homes
TVA system impact connected to the dam: about 10 million people
Wilson Dam tailwater recreation use: about 169,000 visits annually

Let's Look at some safety considerations:

The dam is listed as High Safety Hazard in classification due to the numerous negative outcomes if anything should happen to the dam.

~loss of human life: failure or serious mis-operation would probably put people downstream at risk of death

~Major property damage: flooding or sudden uncontrolled releases could damage homes, businesses, roads, utilities, and other downstream infrastructure

~environmental damage: river habitat, water quality, and surrounding ecosystems could be damaged

~disruption of transportation, utilities, and other essential systems: roads, power-related systems, and river movement could be interrupted

~economic loss: shutdowns, repairs, physical damage, and interrupted use of the river system could cause broader financial loss

Until then we trust that the government upholds its safety and compliance that is publishes, and we trust them to uphold effectively.

Where does this leave us? I can only say from my perspective of what I see 110 years out. A society fatigued from working to pay electric bills, while they complain about electric bills, yet rely totally on electric, and most of which it provides causes an array of health issues from vision to attention.

While infrastructure is neglected for various excuses, and end is result is a loss of life, but they began with loss of life and that is where we said it is an acceptable loss.

(This is a first edit)