UC Sees Fewer Labor Day Boating Accidents Than 2020

Upper Cumberland lakes saw fewer accidents during the Labor Day Weekend than last year.

TWRA Wildlife Officer Dustin Buttram said between the region’s four lakes, only two accidents occurred. Buttram said the accident with an injury was at Center Hill Lake, where water was powerful enough to break a leg.

“Below those reservoirs where they’re generating the water through that hydro electrical dam there is always a safety concern there,” Buttram said. “That is a fast moving, powerful water source coming down through there and I think some people take that for granted and don’t respect the power that the water has.”

Buttram said weather did play a part by shortening the holiday weekend for most with rain coming into the region. He said Labor Day Weekend wraps up a lot of the action on the water. However, he said now boaters need to be cautious of nighttime coming earlier, requiring proper navigational lights.

“Make sure they’re operational, that’s a big thing for our night fishermen,” Buttram said. “I know of two accidents this summer related to navigational lights not being displayed and a boat not being able to see it and just having a collision on the lake.”

Buttram said that overall, fatalities were down on the water across Tennessee. He said there were 18 fatalities in 2021, down from 24 in 2020.