ADAMS, Tenn. (WKRN) — From farming to water activities, multiple Middle Tennessee industries are affected by drought conditions.

When you feel like floating on the water, you typically turn to a kayak, canoe, or tube, but on the Red River in Adams, you can use "big, round, galvanized steel tanks," according to Kalie Morrison, owner of Bell Witch Tanking.

Morrison said this novel concept attracts both locals and visitors from across the country: “It's a hundred percent unique. We were the first business to start tanking in Tennessee.”

Morrison, who started the business two years ago, comes from a family of entrepreneurs that does tours of the well-known Bell Witch property, including the Bell Witch Cave. However, Morrison said Bell Witch Tanking relies on the weather. 

“When the river's too low -- I mean, technically, people can drown even in a foot of water, but when the river's high...it's way, way, way too risky,” Morrison said. 

According to Morrison, the river is usually up to the embankment. She added that they normally go off the flow of the water rather than the depth, but the lack of rain in Middle Tennessee this month has posed a problem.

“I don’t feel like people should be paying to float the river when they're more like dragging their vessel across the river, not really floating,” Morrison said. 

She said Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekend are some of her busiest days. However, Morrison is closing down and reimbursing customers for the upcoming holiday, the same difficult decision she made last Labor Day weekend.

“I don’t think people realize it's really devastating to me. I absolutely hate closing...but I can’t control the weather, but I know it's part of the business, and I'm hoping that we get through this year, maybe open up another weekend or two, get some rain, and then next year will be even better,” Morrison said. 

According to Morrison, as long as Adams gets rain, Bell Witch Tanking will be open until the end of September. 

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/bell-witch-tanking-among-middle-tn-businesses-impacted-by-drought/