Watts Bar Nuclear Holding Pond
Watts Bar Nuclear Holding Pond is an earth dam located in Rhea County, Tennessee, built in 1975. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
About Watts Bar Nuclear Holding Pond
The primary purpose of Watts Bar Nuclear Holding Pond 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 - Offstream near Spring City.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 190 acre-feet. Completed in 1975, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 03/17/2025.
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Location
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Rhea |
| Nearest City | Spring City |
| River/Stream | Tennessee River - Offstream |
| Coordinates | 35.59616, -84.79183 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 190 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 190 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | TVA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 03/17/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN14306 |
| Federal ID | TN14306 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |