The Tennessee Valley Authority recreation area below the Nolichucky Dam under the Oscar B. Lovette Bridge on Asheville Highway has been fully repaired and is open to the public.
The recreation area was wiped out by the floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene, but the popular fishing spot was repaired by TVA and reopened in late 2025.
As the weather warms, members of the public have begun to take advantage of the repaired area below the dam.
According to information provided by TVA, the restored recreational area includes places for fishing and a boat ramp that provides tailwater access for those that enjoy kayaking or canoeing. A short concrete walking trail also provides access to the Nolichucky River. The site includes ample parking.
According to an email from TVA official Scott Brooks, repairing the Nolichucky Dam after Helene was TVA’s first priority, but the agency always intended to repair the recreation area.
“Hurricane Helene hit the Tennessee Valley Authority’s service area September 27th, 2024. TVA’s Nolichucky Dam endured a once in a lifetime flood causing damage to Nolichucky Dam’s right abutment, powerhouse, and completely eroded the site access roads and right downstream tailrace/shoreline which includes the recreational area that existed prior to Helene. High priority scope items were completed within a month of the Helene making landfall. The project performed its final walkdown and marked all field work complete November 2025,” Brooks said. “As stewards of this critically important resource, TVA has a duty to manage its lands wisely for present and future generations. Accordingly, it is TVA’s policy to manage its lands to protect the integrated operation of the TVA reservoir and power systems, to provide for appropriate public use and enjoyment of the reservoir system, and to provide for continuing economic growth in the Valley.”
Brooks said that it was TVA’s pleasure to restore the recreation area for the community.
“We are proud of the work we do at TVA to serve the more than 10 million people in TVA’s service area and this project is no exception. It has been an honor to restore this site and deliver a recreation area back to the local community for their enjoyment,” Brooks said.
TVA asks anyone using the recreation area, or any other TVA recreation area, to adhere to the “Rules for Use of TVA Public Lands” found at TVA.com .
