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Douglas Lake is a recreational destination for up to two million visitors per year. Primary uses of the lake and its shores are fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, camping, hiking, and wildlife observing. In addition to a number of private campgrounds in this area, TVA provides the
Douglas Dam
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The construction of the
Douglas Dam and its accompanying reservoir required the purchase of 33,160 acres (13,420 ha) of land, 5,182 acres (2,097 ha) of which were forested and had to be cleared. This project also required the relocation of 525 families and 32 cemeteries, and the rerouting
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The
Douglas Project required the construction of ten smaller, earthen saddle dams to fill in gaps along the adjacent ridgeline and permit a higher water elevation than would otherwise be possible. Most of these saddle dams are located in the hills southeast of the main dam. One protects downtown
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for the
Tennessee River downstream. Douglas Lake has a total capacity of roughly 1,461,000 acre⋅ft (1,802,000 dam) of water, of which 1,081,880 acre-feet (1,334,480 dam) is reserved for flood control.
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operated at maximum capacity for most of its first year of operation. After its completion, the
Douglas Dam powerhouse furnished electric power for two critical war industries, aluminum production and the
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and western North
Carolina. Then, water is released from this and other dams on the upper tributaries of the Tennessee River in order to maintain an eight-foot-deep navigation channel for barges on the
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during winter months is a common time for these releases, exposing the lake bottom up to several hundred feet from the shoreline and resulting in suspension of power generation when the lake reaches
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513:, which along with the communities of Shady Grove, Oak Grove, and Rankin, was originally scheduled to be flooded by the reservoir behind the dam. However, the citizens of Dandridge appealed to the
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are caught in
Douglas Lake as part of the food supply for human beings. Douglas Lake has an average of 500 miles (800 km) of shoreline, and it has an average surface area of nearly 30,000
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Congress approved the project in
January 1942 and President Roosevelt signed the bill into law on January 30, 1942. Construction began immediately on February 2 as a rush project, and it used
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One of the problems of hydroelectric dams is the periodic reduction of dissolved oxygen in the tailwaters downstream of the dam. Three systems are used at
Douglas Dam to improve oxygenation.
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In spite of a four-week work delay caused by flooding, the
Douglas Dam was completed and its floodgates were closed on February 19, 1943, 382 days after the construction began; this set a
529:. Mrs. Roosevelt ensured that a saddle dam was built to protect Dandridge from flooding. The saddle dam was built of earthen fill, and reinforced on its lakeside by gravel and
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levels. This also helps to mitigate potential flood and overtopping conditions that could result from spring rains and meltwater from surrounding mountain streams.
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predicted that wartime industrial production would peak in 1943, and that the generating capacity of existing and planned TVA projects would be short by 230,000
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339:. Douglas Dam is located 32 miles (51 km) above the mouth of the French Broad. The area is a geological border between the Foothills of the
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industry. McKellar succeeded in blocking this project for two months, but his opposition was overridden because of national defense needs. The
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446:(D-Tennessee) opposed the project because it would flood some 40 square miles (100 km) of fertile farmland important to the local
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The Douglas Project: A Comprehensive Report on the Planning, Design, Construction, and Initial Operations of the Douglas Project
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In addition to hydroelectric generation, there are several secondary purposes of the Douglas dam and reservoir. One of these is
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3. Water pulsing – periodic release of water through the power turbines to maintain some water flow downstream at all times.
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652:(120 square kilometers), with both measurements varying according to the seasonally changing water level of Douglas Lake.
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resulted in the United States entering World War II, construction of this dam became a high priority in order to generate
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370:(Exit 407) passes a few miles to the north. The dam is also accessed from I-40 exit 412 via Deep Springs Road and
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gravity-type dam 1705 feet (520 m) long and 202 feet (62 m) high, impounding the 28,420-acre (11,500 ha)
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of several miles of roads. Supplies for the construction of the dam were hauled to the site by the
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752:, Technical Report No. 10 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1949), pp. 1–12, 28.
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The water stored in Douglas Lake serves an important purpose during extended dry periods and
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went on-line on March 21, 1943, and its second one went on-line on January 1, 1944. Its
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When the TVA first asked Congress for the funds to construct Douglas Dam in late 1941,
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505:. Profits from supporting the dam construction saved this railroad from bankruptcy.
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for national defense purposes. Large amounts of electricity were needed to produce
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Headwater Campground and the Douglas Dam Tailwater Campground for public use. The
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Another secondary purpose of the Douglas Dam and Douglas Lake is for recreational
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2. Surface water pumps – pumps that push surface water downward to the turbines.
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requested Congress to allocate funding for a dam on the French Broad River in
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The Douglas Dam powerhouse is a hydroelectric power producer with four large
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fish each year to thrive and then provide recreational and food fishing.
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The French Broad River winds its way westward from the
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TVA article on tailwater improvements for oxygenation
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of the river from Knoxville down to its mouth at the
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which crosses the river just downstream of the dam.
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Buildings and structures in Sevier County, Tennessee
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Power generation, flood control, and other purposes
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991:Photo gallery of the construction of Douglas Dam
822:"A Brief History of the Smoky Mountain Railroad"
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680:1. Turbine venting – injection of oxygen at the
660:stocks Douglas Lake with tens of thousands of
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783:Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
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347:. The reservoir includes parts of Sevier,
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811:, May 25, 1942. Retrieved: 8 January 2009.
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1523:Hydroelectric power plants in Tennessee
1513:Energy infrastructure completed in 1943
833:Sevier County: Its History and Heritage
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7:
987:—Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
854:, Tennessee History for Kids website
59:Location of Douglas Dam in Tennessee
835:, 1994. Retrieved: 8 January 2009.
709:"Hydroelectric Plants in Tennessee"
658:Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
327:before eventually joining with the
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785:, 2002. Retrieved: 8 January 2009.
525:, the wife of the first president
345:Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley range
343:(which rise to the south) and the
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488:Plan of Douglas Dam, circa 1941–2
1493:1943 establishments in Tennessee
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589:-production capacity is 146,000
393:Douglas Dam during construction.
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1528:Tennessee Valley Authority dams
600:for the French Broad River and
452:Office of Production Management
16:Dam in Tennessee, United States
1518:Dams on the French Broad River
1:
899:. Retrieved: 8 January 2009.
295:. Douglas Dam is a straight
877:. Retrieved: 8 January 2009.
866:Tennessee Valley Authority,
748:Tennessee Valley Authority,
362:Road access is available by
432:– vital metals for wartime
385:Background and construction
33:Douglas Dam from downstream
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1031:Tennessee Valley Authority
914:November 11, 2006, at the
831:. Originally published in
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377:The dam does not have any
289:Tennessee Valley Authority
158:Tennessee Valley Authority
644:. Significant amounts of
573:Douglas Dam from upstream
372:Tennessee State Route 139
364:Tennessee State Route 338
38:
26:
777:January 7, 2008, at the
501:to the site from nearby
285:Sevier County, Tennessee
80:Sevier County, Tennessee
1293:Coal-fired power plants
969:Renewable energy portal
820:William Robert Rogers,
495:Smoky Mountain Railroad
262:Installed capacity
190:1,705 feet (520 m)
138:Construction began
1503:Dams completed in 1943
585:. Their combined peak
581:that drive four large
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418:attack on Pearl Harbor
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557:operations at nearby
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416:. After the Japanese
410:Franklin D. Roosevelt
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341:Great Smoky Mountains
313:Appalachian Mountains
108:35.96111°N 83.53889°W
1454:Nuclear power plants
941:United States portal
559:Oak Ridge, Tennessee
511:Dandridge, Tennessee
475:construction workers
237:Commission date
217:(1,802,000 dam)
182:202 feet (62 m)
1045:generating stations
583:electric generators
422:hydroelectric power
307:Location and access
297:reinforced concrete
223:Catchment area
210:Total capacity
113:35.96111; -83.53889
104: /
1371:Gas turbine plants
1133:Fort Patrick Henry
981:—official TVA site
895:2009-07-12 at the
873:2009-01-05 at the
850:2008-07-03 at the
827:2008-12-02 at the
803:2008-05-22 at the
672:Ecological effects
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555:uranium enrichment
542:electric generator
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379:navigational locks
281:French Broad River
250:2 × 41 MW, 2 × 32
173:French Broad River
1508:Dams in Tennessee
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1158:Little Bear Creek
985:Douglas Reservoir
979:Douglas Reservoir
868:Douglas Reservoir
551:Manhattan Project
527:George Washington
523:Martha Washington
519:Eleanor Roosevelt
436:-manufacturing.
277:hydroelectric dam
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164:Dam and spillways
149:February 19, 1943
146:Opening date
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1258:Upper Bear Creek
1228:Raccoon Mountain
1213:Pickwick Landing
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321:Nolichucky River
141:February 2, 1942
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1128:Fort Loudoun
1117:
1063:Beaver Creek
955:Water portal
904:
840:
832:
816:
808:
782:
749:
717:. Retrieved
703:
675:
654:
635:
607:
601:
595:
576:
538:world record
535:
507:
491:
479:Cherokee Dam
464:
448:food canning
441:U.S. Senator
438:
404:
376:
361:
335:to form the
317:Pigeon River
310:
301:Douglas Lake
293:World War II
272:
271:
255:Francis-type
204:Douglas Lake
1409:John Sevier
1384:Brownsville
1326:John Sevier
1168:Melton Hill
1138:Great Falls
1108:Clear Creek
1103:Chickamauga
1088:Cedar Creek
503:Sevierville
273:Douglas Dam
154:Operator(s)
132:electricity
111: /
87:Coordinates
71:Douglas Dam
22:Douglas Dam
1487:Categories
1316:Cumberland
1178:Nolichucky
1163:Lost Creek
1073:Blue Ridge
1058:Bear Creek
1027:Facilities
695:References
623:Ohio River
546:powerhouse
515:First Lady
467:blueprints
359:counties.
99:83°32′20″W
96:35°57′40″N
1472:Watts Bar
1444:Southaven
1389:Caledonia
1351:Watts Bar
1268:Watts Bar
1253:Tims Ford
1173:Nickajack
1053:Apalachia
631:dead pool
591:kilowatts
499:spur line
456:kilowatts
430:magnesium
407:President
349:Jefferson
333:Knoxville
240:1942–1954
195:Reservoir
1467:Sequoyah
1439:Paradise
1434:Marshall
1429:Magnolia
1399:Gallatin
1341:Paradise
1336:Kingston
1321:Gallatin
1306:Bull Run
1243:Sycamore
1183:Normandy
1153:Kentucky
1148:Hiwassee
1098:Cherokee
912:Archived
893:Archived
871:Archived
848:Archived
825:Archived
801:Archived
775:Archived
713:Archived
627:drawdown
610:droughts
434:warplane
426:aluminum
246:Turbines
169:Impounds
76:Location
1404:Gleason
1394:Colbert
1346:Shawnee
1311:Colbert
1273:Wheeler
1263:Watauga
1248:Tellico
1218:Pin Oak
1208:Ocoee 3
1203:Ocoee 2
1198:Ocoee 1
1193:Nottely
1123:Fontana
1118:Douglas
1113:Dogwood
1093:Chatuge
666:crappie
642:fishing
638:boating
353:Hamblen
325:Newport
279:on the
215:acre⋅ft
200:Creates
124:Purpose
1419:Kemper
1361:Wilson
1283:Wilson
1278:Wilbur
1233:Redbud
1188:Norris
719:13 May
662:sauger
531:riprap
355:, and
266:146 MW
187:Length
179:Height
1379:Allen
1301:Allen
1083:Cedar
1078:Boone
1068:Beech
650:acres
357:Cocke
323:near
275:is a
1223:Pine
1041:and
1039:Dams
809:Time
798:Feud
721:2014
664:and
602:also
462:.
428:and
319:and
612:in
553:'s
458:of
331:at
283:in
1489::
882:^
859:^
807:.
790:^
781:.
757:^
729:^
593:.
561:.
533:.
517:,
473:,
469:,
381:.
374:.
351:,
252:MW
130:,
1019:e
1012:t
1005:v
723:.
684:.
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