Ocoee Dam No. 2 facts for kids
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Ocoee Hydroelectric Plant No. 2
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| Location | Polk County, Tennessee |
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| Built | 1912-1913 |
| Architect | J.G. White |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002453 |
| Added to NRHP | 1979 |
Ocoee Dam Number 2 is a special kind of dam that makes electricity using water power. It's located on the Ocoee River in Polk County, Tennessee. This dam creates a lake called the Ocoee No. 2 Reservoir. It's one of four dams on this river managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The dam was finished in 1913.
Ocoee Dam No. 2 uses a long, wooden channel called a flume. This flume carries water from the reservoir along the side of the Ocoee Gorge. The water then drops into the dam's powerhouse about 5 miles (8.0 km) downstream. This area is famous for whitewater rafting. The dam's water releases help keep the river's rapids exciting during warmer months.
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Where is Ocoee Dam No. 2 Located?
Ocoee Dam No. 2 is about 24 miles (39 km) from where the Ocoee River ends. It sits in the middle of the Ocoee Gorge. This gorge is a deep valley carved by the Ocoee River as it flows through the Appalachian Mountains.
Ocoee No. 2 is 12 miles (19 km) upstream from Ocoee Dam No. 1. It's also 5 miles (8.0 km) downstream from Ocoee Dam No. 3. The wooden flume that connects the dam to its powerhouse winds along the cliffs. It overlooks the south side of the gorge. The water then drops to the powerhouse 5 miles (8.0 km) away.
The dam and its reservoir are surrounded by the beautiful Cherokee National Forest. The main way to get there is by driving on the Ocoee Scenic Byway. This road is part of U.S. Route 64.
How Ocoee Dam No. 2 Works
Ocoee Dam No. 2 is a rock-filled dam. It's 30 feet (9.1 m) high and 450 feet (140 m) long. The powerhouse downstream has two units. These units can produce 23,100 kilowatts of electricity. The dam often releases water for fun activities like rafting. This happens on weekends in spring and fall. In summer, it releases water five days a week.
The dam's flume is a large wooden channel. It sits on a shelf carved into the cliffside. This channel carries the water to a spot just above the powerhouse. From there, the water drops 250 feet (76 m) through two big steel pipes. These pipes lead to the powerhouse below. Without this clever flume system, the dam, which is only 30 feet high, wouldn't be very useful for making power.
There's also a special railway called a funicular at the powerhouse. It's used to move things and people between the powerhouse and the flume.
History of Ocoee Dam No. 2
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, industries in Chattanooga grew a lot. Chattanooga is about 30 miles (48 km) west of the Ocoee River. These industries needed a lot of electricity. Many private companies tried to meet this need. They built dams to create hydroelectricity.
In 1910, a group of business people started the Eastern Tennessee Power Company (ETPC). Their goal was to use the Ocoee River's power. ETPC finished Ocoee Dam No. 1 in late 1911. Work on Ocoee Dam No. 2 began the next year.
To build the dam, ETPC used a wooden "crib." This crib was made of 10-foot (3.0 m) by 10-foot (3.0 m) timbers. They filled this crib with stones. ETPC engineers realized something important. If they built the dam right at the powerhouse site, they would lose out on a lot of power. The river drops 250 feet (76 m) in elevation over a five-mile stretch upstream.
Engineers solved this problem by building the 5-mile (8.0 km) flume. This flume runs along the cliffs above the river gorge. It allows the water to drop only 19-foot (5.8 m) from the reservoir to the powerhouse pipes. The flume itself was very large for its time, measuring 14 feet (4.3 m) wide and 11 feet (3.4 m) deep. The dam was finished in 1913. Its two generators started making power in October of that year.
TVA Takes Over
In 1922, Eastern Tennessee Power joined with other companies. They formed the Tennessee Electric Power Company (TEPCO). TEPCO managed Ocoee Dam No. 2 until 1939. That year, a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court made TEPCO sell its properties. They sold them to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
The TVA was created to manage floods and help develop the whole Tennessee River valley. TVA paid $78 million for TEPCO's properties. This included $2.59 million for Ocoee Dam No. 2.
TVA made some improvements to the dam in the 1940s. These changes increased the dam's power output by 15%. TVA also used the dam's special water diversion design. They used it when building Ocoee Dam No. 3 in 1942, which is several miles upstream.
By 1976, Ocoee No. 2's flume was getting old and worn out. TVA decided to shut it down. But several groups wanted to save it. To stop it from being taken apart, they got the dam and flume listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. TVA then fixed up the flume using treated wood. It was put back into operation in 1983.
