Staff
Report
Multi-year safety studies are underway at Chatuge and Blue Ridge dams, according to a Tennessee Valley Authority press release.
The studies aim to evaluate the nearly 100-year-old dams to ensure they remain safe and reliable for years to come.
The dams have reliably served the region for more than 80 years. Chatuge Dam was completed in 1942. Blue Ridge Dam was acquired by TVA in 1939 after nine years in operation. TVA dams operate to safely deliver flood control, navigation, power generation, water supply, recreation and water quality.
Residents and visitors around Chatuge Dam may soon notice drilling equipment at the site. Similar equipment is expected to arrive at Blue Ridge Dam in February. Both safety studies are expected to last until 2026 and should not impact dam operations while being completed.
Meanwhile, TVA has several ways for residents to obtain information about the work at the dams. A website with detailed information is available, and while there, residents can sign up to receive email updates on either or both studies. That URL is: TVA.com/RMDS.
The primary focus of the study at Chatuge Dam is evaluating the condition of the spillway. The concrete slab has deteriorated over the years, so if TVA needs to use the spillway for an extended period of time — such as to manage an extreme rainfall or flooding event — the water flowing over the spillway could damage part of the concrete chute.
At Blue Ridge Dam, the study will focus on the 92-year-old structure. The dam was built in a way which makes it vulnerable to a very strong earthquake, according to dam experts. The spillway of the dam at Blue Ridge is also being evaluated for conditions similar to those described for Chatuge Dam. The safety study will determine appropriate measures to address those concerns.
“TVA maintains a foundational commitment to safety, and we need to ensure the safe, long-term operation of these dams for another 80-plus years,” TVA General Manager of Dam Safety Jennifer Dodd said. “The dam safety industry has seen standards and best practices evolve significantly over the last decade. Considering recent lessons learned through dam safety incidents in other parts of the country, we’re taking a proactive approach here at Chatuge and Blue Ridge by conducting comprehensive assessments of the dams and spillways so we can minimize any potential safety risks to surrounding communities and those downstream.”
Beyond structural focus, TVA’s dam safety assessments also include thorough considerations of nuanced potential impacts on multiple surrounding communities. Serious consideration must be given to potential loss of life and property risk for all communities, particularly those downstream. The assessments also consider the potential economic and recreation impacts, particularly for those communities on reservoirs.
When completed, the studies will inform how to best remediate existing vulnerabilities to increase dam safety. During the studies, TVA will engage the public and proactively seek community input related to any proposed actions as required under the National Environmental Policy Act.
• Dam operations not expected to be impacted during study, which will conclude in 2026.
• Drilling work will begin at the 81-year-old dam in early January.
• TVA is committed to ensuring safe, long-term operations at each of its dams.