The Tennessee Valley Authority will be conducting a detailed inspection of the Nolichuckey Dam Wednesday. In preparation for that, the spillways was opened on Tuesday allowing the level of water behind the dam to drop. That left the face of the dam, normally covered in a cascade of water, exposed and dry.
TVA repaired the spillway in 2019, allowing for an inspection of the dam at that time. Prior to that, there was no way to control the water flow over the dam.
TVA said the dam remains stable and secure after the floods from Tropical Storm Helene that saw the river reach historic levels. At one point during the highest flow, TVA issued an alert that the dam was in imminent danger of failure. However, water levels began to recede and the dam, built in the early 1900s, held. The power house that was built in 1913, was torn down last week due to damage from floodwaters and debris.
The down stream inspection is expected to last until Thursday with updates expected when completed.
