Hickory Log Creek Dam and Reservoir
The Hickory Log Dam is coming along nicely, as it is almost complete in Canton, Georgia. The Dam will stop up an area of water that is expected to be around 5 billion gallons of water! That will cover about 411 acres of land that is presently dry right now. While the lake will offer many benefits to the residents of Canton and Cobb County, like drinking and recreational activities, I do have concerns for what they might be burying under the water.
The Hickory Log community is a very rich part of the natives that was in this area. A big Indian population thrived in the Hickory Log area and there is no telling of all the valuable artifacts that might remain in that 411 acre area. Once they start to fill up the reservoir, it will be filled up pretty quickly, and the current time frame is for the end of 2008 for the lake to be at maximum levels.
The growth and what the local commissioners have been approving lately have led Canton to need a reservoir like the one they are building. It’s become too much for a lot of the residents that have lived here their whole lives. Many are currently seeking new homes north of Canton and would like to escape the booming growth that is occurring in Canton, Georgia. Some of the desired locations have been Nelson, Jasper, Talking Rock, Blue Ridge, Dahlonega, Fairmount, Chatsworth, Ellijay, Dawsonville, and other places like this that are a short drive from Canton. Since these locations are so close to Canton; if many of the residents do go packing to some of these North Georgia communities, it makes you wonder how long they will remain a desired destination. It could cause the residents of these communities to seek shelter in more of a “country-lifestyle” and would probably start crossing the Georgia Borders. So while it might seem like a good idea to build this 411 acre lake for drinking water, it’s reach will be felt as far north as Tennessee and the Carolinas and it’s really sad to see these areas affected, when they will receive no benefits from the reservoir whatsoever!
