Ready, Set, Row

SEC Raceday Puts Melton Hill Reservoir in Spotlight

The countdown began in the crisp midmorning.

Four boats, sleek and swift, bellied up to the starting mark.

“Rowing fans, good morning,” the commentator said. “The water is flat, the wind is low and the weather is cool.”

Throngs of spectators lined the banks, ringing cowbells and cheering on their athletes.

The air carried a scent of damp earth and lake water, mingled with the high adrenaline of competitors eager to notch a mark in collegiate history at this inaugural Southeastern Conference Rowing Championship at Melton Hill Reservoir.

Then, the starting flag waved and the referee called, “Go.”

And with that, the race was underway – oars slicing in rhythmic union. 

Forty-two athletes took on the 2,000-meter course across six events, representing four colleges from Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee. 

For competitors like Marissa Garcia, of the University of Tennessee, the race was about more than just winning.

It was about leaving everything out on the lake for herself and her team.

“Having this be the first SEC (Championship) and going down in the history books in Tennessee is just crazy,” Garcia said. “Our team competed with a lot of heart, and it means a lot that we get to compete in our home base.”

For the Tennessee Valley Authority, the event represented a chance to show how its managed waterways elevate recreation and quality of life across the region.

“It really does carry out TVA’s mission of economic impact across the Valley,” Darrell Guinn, senior manager at TVA’s River Forecast Center, said. “We’re very fortunate to have these locations and people who are interested in these sports and activities.

“It’s something that draws people to this area while bringing all the positive things that come from tourism.”

University of Tennessee rowers head to the starting line at Melton Hill Reservoir. (Photos by Abdiel Vallejo-Lopez / TVA)

From Vision to Reality

Nestled 21 miles south of Norris Dam in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the Oak Ridge Rowing Association’s Melton Lake course served as the venue for this milestone event.

“(Melton Hill Reservoir) has a history of being a rowing destination,” Guinn said. “What makes that location ideal is it’s protected by the hills – so the waters are usually in calmer conditions compared to what you find on bigger, wide-open reservoirs.”

But the selection of this venue went beyond scenic beauty and naturally favorable conditions.

It came as the result of years of collaboration among TVA and local stakeholders, all working to elevate the existing course to national and international competition standards.

In 2016, Oak Ridge officials approached TVA with a vision – expand Melton Hill’s rowing course to attract elite regattas.

This meant widening the course to include an additional lane.

Pooling resources from TVA, state and local partners, and organizations like Explore Oak Ridge, the rowing association excavated 570 feet of shoreline to widen the course by 13.5 meters and add a seventh lane.

Work crews also integrated a retaining wall into the existing greenway, which today provides a front-row view of the racecourse at the 500-meter mark.

The improvements helped draw in larger competitions, Jim Rogers, an Oak Ridge Rowing Association chair member, said.

“Having seven lanes to race on instead of six is really helpful to bring in big regattas," he said. “To bring in 2,000 athletes or more, you need a larger infrastructure. Very few places in the U.S. have what we have.”

Today, Oak Ridge stands as an international rowing destination.

According to Explore Oak Ridge, the sport generates nearly $2 million annually for the city through visitor spending on hotels, restaurants and local attractions.

“We’ve truly made a name for ourselves as a rowing destination,” Katy Watt, president of Explore Oak Ridge, said.

And the impacts go beyond Oak Ridge.

Athletes from northern states and Canada visit the region, starting around late February to train in relatively milder climates.

The economic benefits from this overflow of athletes extend to nearby cities like Clinton and Knoxville, boosting the regional economy overall.

Beyond Oak Ridge County and neighboring Anderson County, rowing’s economic impact provides approximately $6 million annually to the surrounding region.

“To quote Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, ‘Great things happen every day in Oak Ridge.’ And rowing season is no exception to that statement,” Watt said.

“Being the inaugural location for the SEC Women’s Rowing Championship shows the level of exceptional competition value that this water holds.”

Clear skies and calm waters made Melton Hill a prime location for the inaugural SEC Rowing Championship.

‘Blue Skies, Calm Waters’

Since the expansion, the rowing association has hosted many of the high-profile regattas it once aspired to attract, including rowing championships across multiple NCAA divisions.

One of its biggest wins came last August, when rowing became the SEC’s 22nd sponsored sport. When deciding where to host this national championship, the choice was simple.

All four university coaches agreed on Oak Ridge, Rogers said.

With optimal race conditions, world-class facilities and TVA’s careful management of the waterway, Melton Hill proved to be the perfect venue.

What sets this location apart? “Blue skies and calm waters,” Rogers said.

“The weather is just fantastic that time of the year, and the calm water is caused by a couple of things – one being, TVA’s control.”

As part of its mission to balance the Tennessee River basin, TVA’s River Forecast Center works closely with race officials to regulate water flows, ensuring fair and consistent conditions for competition and safety.

“We’re extremely lucky to have a river like this,” Watt said. “TVA has been great to work with in keeping the river so consistent for regatta weekends.

The stable conditions set the stage for the University of Texas to clinch the championship title, amassing a total of 83 points across the events. Tennessee’s rowing team won three of the six races, placing second overall with 78 points – followed by Alabama and Oklahoma in third and fourth place.

But one of the waterway’s biggest benefits is its ability to help communities and people thrive. It brings together athletes, families, supporters and community members in ways that extend far beyond competition.

“The fact that TVA provides this managed resource is such a huge advantage,” Rogers said. “It means that even in this tiny city of Oak Ridge, we can pull kids from all over the community.

“We have kids come in from Hardin Valley, Knoxville and Bearden and all over the place. All these cities around us, all coming to row here on this natural asset – it’s just incredible.”

Years of collaboration among TVA and local stakeholders helped elevate the existing course to national and international competition standards.

A spectator watches from shore as rowers compete in the SEC Championship.

University of Texas rowers celebrate following their SEC Championship win.

PHOTO AT TOP OF PAGE: The University of Tennessee rowing team at Melton Hill Reservoir.