The Cheoah Dam is a hydroelectric complex located in Graham and Swain counties, North Carolina, on the Little Tennessee River between river miles 51 and 52. The Cheoah Development consists of a dam and powerhouse, the first of several constructed by the Tallassee Power Company (now Tapoco), a subsidiary of Aluminum Company of America (now Alcoa), in order to generate electricity to smelt aluminum in Alcoa, Tennessee.
The Cheoah project began in 1916 as a construction camp at the Narrows, where the Little Tennessee River flowed through a narrow gorge, and it was completed in 1919. Cheoah Dam created the long, narrow Cheoah Reservoir, which covers approximately 644 acres (261 ha) of the normal full pool area and a drainage area of 1,608 square miles (4,160 km2). The elevation of Cheoah Reservoir is 1,276.8 feet (389.2 m) (USGS). A scenic highway runs the length of the reservoir.[2]
The water inflow for Cheoah, like that of Calderwood and Chilhowee, is primarily dependent on releases from TVA's Fontana Dam, the primary flow control facility for the lower Little Tennessee River. Tapoco operated the Cheoah Development until 2012, when it was sold to Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners, forming Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower.[3]
When completed in 1919, the 225-foot (69 m) dam was the world's highest overflow dam. The turbines were the largest in the world, and the 150,000-volt transmission line had the highest voltage and the longest span for a transmission line—5,010 feet (1,530 m) across the river below Cheoah Dam.[4] The dam and associated structures were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.[1]
^Philip Thomason and Teresa Douglass (October 2003). "Cheoah Hydroelectric Development" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
^Alcoa website 2007-08-20 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on 2009-10-29.
^Barrett, J.S. "History of Tapoco". Retrieved January 14, 2010.
^Blueridge National Heritage Area website 2012-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on 2009-10-29.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cheoah Dam.
"Cheoah Dam," TVA website
"Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners - Cheoah
December 18, 2023
cheoah, hydroelectric, complex, located, graham, swain, counties, north, carolina, little, tennessee, river, between, river, miles, cheoah, development, consists, powerhouse, first, several, constructed, tallassee, power, company, tapoco, subsidiary, aluminum,. The Cheoah Dam is a hydroelectric complex located in Graham and Swain counties North Carolina on the Little Tennessee River between river miles 51 and 52 The Cheoah Development consists of a dam and powerhouse the first of several constructed by the Tallassee Power Company now Tapoco a subsidiary of Aluminum Company of America now Alcoa in order to generate electricity to smelt aluminum in Alcoa Tennessee Cheoah Hydroelectric DevelopmentU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtCheoah Hydroelectric Dam 2010Show map of North CarolinaShow map of the United StatesLocation1512 Tapoca Rd NC 129 near Robbinsville North CarolinaCoordinates35 27 0 N 83 56 10 W 35 45000 N 83 93611 W 35 45000 83 93611Area25 acres 10 ha Built1919 104 years ago 1919 Built byPower amp Engineering Group of AlcoaArchitectural styleClassical RevivalMPSTapoco Hydroelectric Project MPSNRHP reference No 04000464 1 Added to NRHPMay 21 2004The Cheoah project began in 1916 as a construction camp at the Narrows where the Little Tennessee River flowed through a narrow gorge and it was completed in 1919 Cheoah Dam created the long narrow Cheoah Reservoir which covers approximately 644 acres 261 ha of the normal full pool area and a drainage area of 1 608 square miles 4 160 km2 The elevation of Cheoah Reservoir is 1 276 8 feet 389 2 m USGS A scenic highway runs the length of the reservoir 2 The water inflow for Cheoah like that of Calderwood and Chilhowee is primarily dependent on releases from TVA s Fontana Dam the primary flow control facility for the lower Little Tennessee River Tapoco operated the Cheoah Development until 2012 when it was sold to Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners forming Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower 3 When completed in 1919 the 225 foot 69 m dam was the world s highest overflow dam The turbines were the largest in the world and the 150 000 volt transmission line had the highest voltage and the longest span for a transmission line 5 010 feet 1 530 m across the river below Cheoah Dam 4 The dam and associated structures were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 1 The dam was used as a filming location for the 1993 movie The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford 5 Gallery edit nbsp 1939 nbsp 2008 nbsp 2011See also edit nbsp United States portal nbsp Water portal nbsp Renewable energy portal National Register of Historic Places listings in Graham County North CarolinaReferences edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 Philip Thomason and Teresa Douglass October 2003 Cheoah Hydroelectric Development PDF National Register of Historic Places Nomination and Inventory North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office Retrieved November 1 2014 Alcoa website Archived 2007 08 20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2009 10 29 Barrett J S History of Tapoco Retrieved January 14 2010 Blueridge National Heritage Area website Archived 2012 02 22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2009 10 29 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cheoah Dam Cheoah Dam TVA website Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners Cheoah Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cheoah Dam amp oldid 1176802427, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
