South Holston Dam

Throughout much of the earth's history, the South Holston River overflowed its banks each and every spring causing lots of property damage...and worse. Then European settlers moved into the region in the 1700's, building homes and businesses and clearing the land in the river basin in order to raise crops to feed their families.

Then along came the 1930's and the Great Depression which left the region with staggering levels of unemployment. Making matters even worse, electric power was simply unavailable in most areas. It was determined that the construction of a dam across the South Holston River would help alleviate these problems so the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) moved in, bought over 7,500 acres of property and hired hundreds of local workers to begin building South Holston Dam. The massive project was completed in 1950.

At a whopping 285 feet high and 1,600 feet in length, South Holston Dam is one of the largest earthen dams in the world. This massive earth and rock structure holds back the waters of South Holston Lake which extends some 24 miles up the river from the dam.

Today, the reservoir helps control the South Holston River's yearly flooding while providing recreational opportunities for area residents and visitors alike. At the same time, the turbines built into the dam generate thousands of kilowatts of electricity daily that is distributed to many localities throughout the southeastern United States. It's hard to even guess just how much the construction of South Holston Dam has improved the quality of life in our region and beyond!

Picture Of The Day Homepage | Submit a photo

Interesting Articles