Pickwick Landing Dam

Pickwick Landing Dam is a concrete dam located in Hardin County, Tennessee, built in 1938. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Pickwick Landing Dam

The primary purpose of Pickwick Landing Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Tva (federal). It impounds the Tennessee River near Savannah.

The dam stands 113 feet tall and stretches 7,715 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 42,700 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,546,740 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 32,820 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/22/2024.

At 113 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Tennessee dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

High HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateTennessee
CountyHardin
Nearest CitySavannah
River/StreamTennessee River
Coordinates35.06864, -88.24977

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height113 ft
Dam Height51 ft
Dam Length7,715 ft
Year Completed1938 (88 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,546,740 acre-ft
Max Storage1,546,740 acre-ft
Normal Storage1,105,000 acre-ft
Surface Area42,700 acres
Drainage Area32,820 sq mi
Max Discharge1,112,000 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerTVA
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection11/22/2024
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDTN07101
Federal IDTN07101
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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