Tennessee River
TVA: Up-to-Date Information on the Tennessee River System
Use the drop-down menus in the green box at right to get detailed information about individual reservoirs, including observed and predicted elevations and releases at TVA dams, reservoir operating guides, dissolved oxygen improvements, fish population survey results, recreation facilities, and more. The link to ‘Tennessee River elevations at selected locations’ gives information on recent and predicted water elevations at major cities and other selected locations along the Tennessee River. ... [Read More]
TVA: River System Overview
Get the latest information on reservoir levels and read articles about TVA programs to enhance reservoir recreation, water quality, and other benefits. It's all in TVA River Neighbors, an electronic newsletter for people who care about the Tennessee River and TVA's stewardship programs. ... Go fishing or experience the excitement of canoeing, kayaking, or rafting on the many stretches of river below TVA dams. ... Most reservoir projects in the United States were built for a single purpose, such as irrigation, power production, or water supply. The Tennessee River system is different. Its dams, locks, and reservoirs were designed specifically to operate as one system that meets many needs. ... [Read More]
USGS NAWQA Tennessee River Basin
The Tennessee (TENN) River Basin encompasses an area of 40,890 square miles, making it the largest tributary to the Ohio River. The Tennessee River flows through portions of seven states: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky. From its origin high in the Appalachians to the confluence with the Ohio River, the Tennessee River spans more than 850 linear miles. The highest point in the Basin, located at Mount Mitchell, North Carolina (6,684 feet), is the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. Once a free flowing river, the natural character of the Tennessee River has been significantly altered during the last eighty years. Between the 1920's and 1960's, 49 dams were constructed along the main stem and tributaries. Dams located along the main stem function as "flow-through" reservoirs that improve river navigation and generate hydroelectric power; whereas dams on the tributaries function as large storage impoundments used primarily for floo ... [Read More]
Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
Welcome, The Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 50,000 acres on and around Kentucky Lake in northwest Tennessee. The refuge's three units, Big Sandy, Duck River, and Busseltown, stretch for 65 miles along the Tennessee River. Established in 1945, the refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as an important resting and feeding area for wintering waterfowl, as well as, many migratory birds and resident wildlife. ... Duck River Unit ... [Read More]
TVA: Navigation on the Tennessee River
The Tennessee River’s main navigable channel is 652 miles long. It officially begins a mile above Knoxville, Tennessee, and eventually empties into the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky. Commercial navigation also extends into three major tributaries: 61 miles up the Clinch River, 29 miles up the Little Tennessee River, and 21 miles up the Hiwassee River. Another 150 miles of channel—too shallow for commercial traffic—is marked for recreational use. ... A chain of river ports links centers of industrial activity along the Tennessee River. In many cases the river itself was the catalyst for industrial growth at these points. ... [Read More]
USGS NAWQA Upper Tennessee River Basin
Studies of 60 hydrologic systems that include parts of most major river basins and aquifer systems in the country are the building blocks of the national assessment. The 60 study units range in size from 1,000 to more than 60,000 square miles and represent about 65 percent of the Nation's water use and the population served by public water supplies. Investigations of 20 study units began in 1991, 20 additional investigations began in 1994, and 20 more began in 1997. Assessment activities in the upper Tennessee River Basin study unit began in 1994. Details for this study may be found within the following items: ... [Read More]
TVA: Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower is America’s leading renewable energy resource. Of all the renewable power sources, it’s the most reliable, efficient, and economical. TVA maintains 29 conventional hydroelectric dams throughout the Tennessee River system and one pumped-storage facility for the production of electricity. In addition, four Alcoa dams on the Little Tennessee River and eight U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams on the Cumberland River contribute to the TVA power system. Learn more about TVA’s hydro plant operations. ... [Read More]
LSA East Draft Discussion Paper
An implementation strategy to address the LSA East scientificissues discussed here can perhaps best be approached by dividingthe LSA East 'Core' area given in Figure 1 into two sub-regions: one which encompasses the Ohio River basin and another whichfocuses on the Tennessee-Cumberland River basins ( Figure 6 ). In this respect, the Ohio River basin can be perceived as beinga "cold" temperate sub-region while the Tennessee-CumberlandRiver basins represent a "humid" temperate sub-region. Precipitation regimes within these two basins are different. For example, the Ohio basin has substantial snowmelt effectsas opposed to the Tennessee-Cumberland basins which have littlesnowmelt, but are affected by heavy precipitation events duringthe winter and spring. Additionally, the Ohio River basin, althoughcontrolled, is not controlled to the extent of the Tennessee-CumberlandRiver basins. The variability in hydrologic, hydrometeorologic,and land surface characteristics in the ... [Read More]
The Geologic Story of the Ocoee River
The great power of this river has been harnessed at three points to generate electricity. At Ocoee Dam No. 3, water from the Ocoee No. 3 Lake is diverted to Powerhouse (PH) No. 3 through a tunnel cut through the rock on the west side of the river. The river channel between the dam and the powerhouse normally carries only local flow and, when necessary, flood releases from the lake. A 1,500 ft (457 m) long stretch in this segment of the river was modified to create the Ocoee Whitewater Center, the site of the 1996 Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom competition. TVA can release water at Ocoee Dam No. 3 to provide flow for the whitewater course. Unlike a natural stream, most of the flow in this segment of the river can be turned on and off. Downstream, the water is used again as it is diverted through a flume from Ocoee No. 2 Dam to PH No. 2. ... [Read More]
TDEC: Tennessee Elk River Resources Management Division
Tims Ford Project was created by the Tennessee General Assembly and Congress in 1963 for the purpose of economic and social development in the Elk River Area. The Tims Ford Project was operated and managed by the Tennessee Elk River Development Agency (TERDA) until April 26, 1996. Public Chapter 816 of the Public Acts of 1996 terminated and ceased all activities of the Tennessee Elk River Development Agency (TERDA). The legislation transferred all powers, duties, contractual obligations, functions and remaining land interests of the agency to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The department was charged with the responsibility of disposing of the remaining land interests. A Land Management and Disposition Plan will be the tool used to fulfill the intent of Public Chapter 816 and the legislative intent for the project lands. ... [Read More]
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