According to a statement provided by Operator around 18:50 on February 26th he was the operator of a vessel traveling across the channel on Melton Hill Reservoir, in Anderson County. While traveling across the river channel the lower unit of his boat snagged on one of steel cables holding the buoys marking the rowing lanes used by the Rowing Association. Operator  stated that he attempted to avoid the cables by traveling in the center of the marker buoys but the lower unit of his vessel snagged one of the cables.  He states that he was traveling at idle speed through the buoy line and when he throttled down to approach the ramp he noticed that his vessel was traveling backward as it was being pulled by the cable that had become entangled around the lower unit of his outboard motor. The bouy lines his vessel struck were permitted by TWRA to the Oak Ridge Rowing Association for the duration of their rowing season. Operator stated that the lower unit of his vessel was damaged and according to him, ruined.   *** On February 28th, 2023 at around 12:00pm Officers and Operator visited the scene to inspect the course layout. It was determined that shallowest portion of cable located was approximately 22 inches below the water line. Photos of course and warning signs are documented in the report.
MELTON HILL RESERVOIR
OAK RIDGE                     