South Holston Dam - Background and Construction

Background and Construction

Various private entities had investigated the South Fork Holston's hydroelectric potential since the early 1900s, although other than Wilbur Dam on the river's Watauga River tributary, no major projects had been initiated. In the 1920s, the Holston River Power Company conducted a massive survey of the South Fork Holston's watershed with plans to build four dams on the river, including one at the present South Holston Dam site. After the Tennessee Valley Authority gained oversight of the Tennessee River watershed in the following decade, it proposed the construction of two dams in the South Fork Holston basin— one at the South Holston Dam site and the other at Cardens Bluff (modern Watauga Dam). The primary purpose for building these two dams was flood control, especially in light of a disastrous flood in 1940 that had destroyed several structures in Bluff City and Kingsport, both downstream from the proposed dam sites. The dams would also produce electricity to help TVA meet the high demand for power at the outbreak of World War II. South Holston Dam and its sister project, Watauga Dam, were authorized on December 17, 1941, and work began on February 16 of the following year.

The construction of South Holston Dam and its reservoir required the purchase of 12,860 acres (52 km2) of land, 3,875 acres (1,568 ha) of which had to be cleared. The construction moved 342 families and 559 graves. It required the relocation of 30.5 miles (49.1 km) of roads, and four new bridges were built. In October 1942, the U.S. War Production Board ordered a halt to the South Holston and Watauga projects, claiming they were not vital to the nation's war effort. TVA spent several weeks securing the dam sites, and the South Holston project was stalled until the end of the war. Work on South Holston began again on August 4, 1947, as Watauga neared completion.

Along with the main dam, the South Holston project required the construction of a saddle dam approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the main dam at the reservoir's Painter Spring embayment. The saddle dam is 40 feet (12 m) high and 3,400 feet (1,000 m) long. The project also necessitated the construction of an auxiliary spillway, since the main dam's morning glory spillway had not been adequately tested. This auxiliary spillway— known as the "Bent Branch Spillway" after the stream into which it empties— is located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the main dam.

South Holston Dam was completed and its gates closed November 20, 1950. The dam's generator went online February 13, 1951. The total cost of the South Holston project was just over $31 million.