Cherokee Dam
| Cherokee Dam | |
|---|---|
Francis-type | |
| Installed capacity | 136 MW[2] |
Cherokee Dam is a
Location
The
Cherokee Lake stretches for 59 miles (95 km) from the dam to the John Sevier Combined Cycle Plant just south of Rogersville, Tennessee, and includes parts of Jefferson, Grainger, Hamblen, and Hawkins counties. The lake's Mossy Creek embayment reaches all the way to the city limits of Jefferson City. Tennessee State Route 92 crosses the Holston just downstream from the dam.
Background and construction
In 1940, with World War II raging across Europe, the United States government saw an urgent need to strengthen its military and defense infrastructure. This required a massive expansion of
The Cherokee project required the purchase of 45,158 acres (18,275 ha) of land, nearly 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of which were wooded and required clearing. The project also required the relocation of 875 families, 51 cemeteries, and a historical tavern at Bean Station (which was the only major community that was flooded). The water supplies of Jefferson City and Morristown had to be modified, and 99 miles (159 km) of roadway had to be redirected. Fourteen new bridges were constructed and five existing bridges were raised above reservoir operating levels. Three earthen saddle dams, with a combined length of 1,770 feet (540 m), were constructed to fill gaps in the ridge immediately south of the main dam. As Congress eliminated a number bureaucratic obstacles regarding delivery of materials, construction proceeded at a smooth and rapid pace. On December 5, 1941, construction was completed, the gates were closed, and the reservoir began to fill. Power generation began on April 16, 1942, less than two years after the dam was first proposed.[1]
Operation and output
Cherokee Dam is a gravity-type concrete spillway dam consisting of nine crest gates and eight sluice gates (the latter allowing reservoir control when water level is low).[1] The combined capacity of the dam's four hydroelectric generators is 135,200 kilowatts. Cherokee Lake has a flood-storage capacity of 749,406 acre-feet (924,379,000 m3).[3] The reservoir operates up to an elevation of 1,075 feet (328 m),[1] and varies by 27 feet (8.2 m) in a typical year.[3] The dam lacks navigational locks, although its design allows them to be added if the necessity for them should arise.[1]
While Cherokee's primary purpose is hydroelectric power production, like other TVA dams it also helps control flooding, which was rampant in the Tennessee Valley before the 1930s.[1] Numerous recreational areas exist along Cherokee Lake, including Panther Creek State Park, several smaller parks, and 20 public boat launches. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency regularly stocks the lake with walleye, crappie, and hybrid striped bass for recreational fishing.[4]
As the arrival of Hurricane Florence approached, the TVA released water at Cherokee from its spill gates. These spill gates were used for the first time since 1994.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Tennessee Valley Authority, The Cherokee Project: A Comprehensive Report on the Planning, Design, Construction, and Initial Operations of the Cherokee Project, Technical Report no. 7 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946), pp. 1-19, 32, 237.
- ^ "Hydroelectric Plants in Tennessee". IndustCards. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ a b c Tennessee Valley Authority, Cherokee Lake. Retrieved: 7 January 2009.
- ^ Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — Reservoir Fish Stocking 2008. Retrieved: 7 January 2009.
- ^ Efstathiou Jr, Jim (September 17, 2018). "Florence's Rains Are Kicking Hydroelectric Dams Into Overdrive". Bloomberg. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
External links
- Cherokee Reservoir — official TVA site
- Cherokee Lake — Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Cherokee Lake information