tva.gov - Managing the River

TVA - Managing the River

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TVA - Managing the River Javascript must be enabled for the correct page exhibit Skip to main content Toggle navigation Tennessee Valley Authority SearchWell-nighTVA Newsroom Careers Investors Energy Energy EnergyRight® Solutions Valley Renewable Energy Our Power System Transmission Technology Innovation Public Power Partnerships Environment Environment Environmental StewardshipInflowingManagement Lake Levels Recreation Shoreline Construction Permits Managing the River Economic Development Economic Development Attract Engage Serve Our Team Share this page You are here: Home Environment Managing the River Managing the Tennessee River for Multiple Benefits From the beginning, TVA was tasked with taming flooding on the wild Tennessee River. Today, TVA manages the river for multiple benefits and the highest public good. Unpredictable swings in the abundance—or scarcity—of rain in the Tennessee Valley makes the region prone to cycles of flooding and drought. TVA’s first task was to create an engineered system of dams and reservoirs to reduce flooding, provide a navigable waterway and generate hydroelectric power. Over time, variegated benefits of the river system surfaced, providing spare perks such as a wipe and reliable water supply, and well-healed water-based recreational opportunities. TVA constantly adjusts management of its water system to those varying conditions to make sure it continues to efficiently provide all its life-supporting benefits, which are:InflowingDamage Reduction Of the unshortened river system, tributary reservoirs in the eastern Tennessee Valley provide the most valuable storage for winter and spring runoff. After downstream floods crest in the western Tennessee Valley, inflowing water stored in the tributary reservoirs is slowly released to regain inflowing storage and to support the other benefits of the Tennessee River system listed on this page. Find out increasingly well-nigh inflowing forfeiture reduction at TVA. Navigation Thirteen locks withal the 652-mile length of the Tennessee River provide passage for 25,000-30,000 barges annually, delivering 40-50 million tons of goods, saving consumers $400-$500 million in transportation costs. Adding to that, 6,000-8,000 recreational vessels crisscross the Tennessee River and its reservoirs each year. To alimony commerce and recreation rolling on the river, TVA maintains a minimum waterworks depth of 11 feet. Read increasingly well-nigh navigation on the Tennessee River and its tributaries. Power Production At 29 TVA dams, hydroelectric power is generated by permitting water to spritz from a reservoir through an intake and penstock, where the spritz rotates a turbine and shaft that's unfluctuating to a rotor within copper coils—where the marvel of electricity is sparked. When water availability is low, TVA uses other resources in its diverse generating portfolio to produce power. Many of these—especially coal and nuclear plants—depend on the river for cooling water. Read increasingly well-nigh hydroelectric power at TVA. Water Quality We need clean, well-healed water to survive! TVA monitors and adjusts river spritz to meet municipality, water-temperature and dissolved oxygen requirements for our own heath, as well as that of the other species that share our waterways. Read increasingly well-nigh water quality. Water Supply Some 5 million people get their water from the Tennessee River and its tributaries every day. Nearly 12 million gallons of water are used daily, drawn from 700 municipal intakes. However, 96 percent of that water is recycled and returned to the river to be used again. Learn increasingly well-nigh water supply management. Recreation It’s fun to paddle, raft and fish in TVA rivers and lakes. The birds are lovely to see as they follow migratory patterns to our wetlands and healthy streams. A hike to subconscious streams rejuvenates the soul. Get increasingly info well-nigh recreation on TVA lakes and lands. The River Forecast Center TVA’s River Forecast Center, located in Knoxville, Tenn., is staffed virtually the clock, 365 days a year, monitoring the river to minimize flooding, as well as to track water quality data, availability and demand—all with the goal of routing water through the system to provide the most public value given waffly weather conditions and water demands. Read increasingly well-nigh the River Forecast Center. Lake Levels & Lake Info App So that all needs are met, TVA raises and lowers water levels in its reservoirs over the undertow of the year, often raising them in the spring to promote summertime recreation, and lowering them in the storing to provide ready inflowing storage for winter rains. You can get the most up-to-date information on the individual reservoirs—and download the TVA Lake Info app—on our Lake Levels page. TVA Dam Safety For TVA, dam safety is a leading priority 24/7/365. Read increasingly well-nigh what we’re doing every day to continuously monitor and modernize the 49 dams in the Tennessee River system, as well as what you can do to stay unscratched near dams. The Unified Development of the Tennessee River plan stressed TVA was to provide inflowing control, navigation and electricity for the region. TVA’s dams are tangible vestige of its primary mission: improving life in the Tennessee Valley. We’re triumphal the plan with an in-depth squint at 32 of the dams it comprises.     Employees and Retirees TVA Kids Doing Business With TVA TVA Privacy Policy Freedom of Information Act Legal Notices Information Quality No Fear Act Data Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Accessibility Information Inspector General TVA Police Energy Environment Economic Development Newsroom CareersWell-nighInvestor Relations Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Flickr Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive  Knoxville TN 37902 (865) 632-2101 tvainfo@tva.com Back to top