Fontana dam overflows

[10-Ring]

Fontana Dam is the highest dam East of the Mississippi River.  The dam uses two overflow tunnels that are each about 30 feet in diameter to run excess water off of the lake.  At the bottom the water hits a concrete "ramp" and shoots 150 feet into the air and lands approximately 450 feet down stream.  It makes for a spectacular sight.  I took these pictures of it yesterday.  To my knowledge the overflow system has only been used 3 or 4 times since the dam was built in the 1940's.

[peejman]

Cool pics!  I'd love to see that in person.  I'm surprised they let you in there during the discharge.  I thought they closed everything off. 

[leroy]

Great pictures!!  Thanks for posting them.  I bet the valley is good and cool from the aeration of this much cold water!!

 

leroy

[Mike.357]

that would be cool to see.

 

I went to Norris a couple of months ago when they let water spill over it.    Here is a pic but not near as cool looking as the Fontana spill.

 

[enfield]

I've read that all of the dams on the Tennessee River are spilling excess water.  Plan to drive over to Watt's Bar today for a photo op.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Sho' would like to fish that when that is happenin'.How'd you put that pic on here, Mike?

[peejman]

I've read that all of the dams on the Tennessee River are spilling excess water.  Plan to drive over to Watt's Bar today for a photo op.

 

 

Drove over Watts Bar and Chickamauga over the weekend, both were nearly fully open.  The water was a boiling froth for several hundred yards downstream. 

[Mike.357]

Sho' would like to fish that when that is happenin'.How'd you put that pic on here, Mike?

 

 

briefly so as to not derail this thread, - click "more reply options"  - find the little icon that is for posting pics - paste in photobucket direct link- done

 

here is another pic of the Norris dump

 

[rugerla1]

Wow! Nice pictures!

[enfield]

Watt's Bar was spilling this morning also, but not as dramatically as Fontana.  Got some pics - never saw Watt's Barr spill before.

[10-Ring]

Got this one at Chilhowie Dam the other night.

[Raoul]

All the lakes at the upper end are full pool +.

TVA produced 138% of hydro capacity in May.

 

cool pics.

[frankmako]

lots of rain this year.  been hard getting the hay up.  

[bubbiesdad]

briefly so as to not derail this thread, - click "more reply options"  - find the little icon that is for posting pics - paste in photobucket direct link- done

 

here is another pic of the Norris dump

 

[Westwindmike]

I was at JPP today and it is still 5 feet above summer pool, but dropping slowly. The Fate Sanders parking lot was finally above water again.

[runco]

Thanks to this posting, Wife and kids drove to Fontana last evening.  It is a sight to behold.  The water rushing down the spill way was just awesome.  My boys enjoyed the view from the top and the spill ways from the top just as good.  I will post some additional pictures this evening, my phone chord is at work.

 

BTW everyone got car sick on 129 on the way home, too many curves.  We never met anyone on 129 coming home, this was between 9pm and 10:30pm.

[10-Ring]

129 is pretty desolate after dark.  I left a friend's house in Robinsville, NC one morning at about 3 O'clock and drove 47 miles before seeing another vehicle.