Tallest Dams in Tennessee

Tennessee has 1203 dams with recorded heights. The tallest is Gum Branch Dam at 447 feet. Taller dams impound more water and carry greater potential energy, which is why height is a key factor in hazard classification and inspection requirements.

#	Dam	County	Height (ft)	Type	Purpose	Hazard	Year
1	Gum Branch Dam	Anderson	447	Earth	Tailings	High	1981
2	Tennessee Consolidated Coal #1 Dam	Marion	340	Earth		Low	1976
3	Watauga Dam	Carter	332	Rockfill	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1948
4	South Holston Dam	Sullivan	285	Rockfill	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1950
5	Norris Dam	Campbell	265	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1936
6	Calderwood	Blount	230	Arch	Hydroelectric	High	1930
7	Solutia #15 Dam	Maury	227	Earth		Low	1977
8	Douglas Dam	Sevier	202	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1943
9	Dale Hollow Dam	Clay	200	Gravity	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1943
10	Tims Ford Dam	Franklin	175	Rockfill	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1970
11	Cherokee Dam	Jefferson	175	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1941
12	Boone Dam	Washington	160	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1952
13	J. Percy Priest Dam	Davidson	147	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1967
14	Young Mill Tailings Dam	Jefferson	145	Earth	Tailings	Significant	1998
15	Ocoee No. 1 Dam	Polk	135	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1911
16	B Bend Hollow Dam	Sullivan	131	Earth		High	1977
17	Chickamauga Dam	Hamilton	129	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1940
18	Tellico Dam	Loudon	129	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1979
19	Center Hill Dam	DeKalb	125	Other	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1951
20	Fort Loudoun Dam	Loudon	125	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1943
21	Bluecat Lake Dam	Maury	120	Earth		High	1979
22	Dartmoor Dam	Cumberland	114	Earth	Recreation	Significant	1984
23	Pickwick Landing Dam	Hardin	113	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1938
24	Normandy Dam	Coffee	110	Concrete	Hydroelectric	High	1976
25	Shellcracker Lake Dam	Maury	110	Earth		Significant	1970
26	Ocoee No. 3 Dam	Polk	110	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1942
27	Elmwood Tailings Dam	Smith	107	Other	Tailings	Significant	1974
28	London Mills Tailings Pond Dam	Polk	106	Earth		Low	1944
29	Melton Hill Dam	Loudon	103	Concrete	Hydroelectric	High	1963
30	Goldeneye Lake Dam	Maury	100	Earth		Significant	1970
31	Glastowbury Dam	Cumberland	98	Earth	Recreation	Significant	1979
32	Old Hickory Lock And Dam	Davidson	98	Concrete	Navigation	High	1954
33	Otter Creek Dam	Cumberland	95	Earth	Water Supply	Significant	1995
34	Fort Patrick Henry Dam	Sullivan	95	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1953
35	Nolichucky Dam	Greene	94	Concrete	Fish and Wildlife Pond	High	1913
36	Cordell Hull Lock And Dam	Smith	93	Gravity	Recreation	High	1973
37	North Potato Creek Dam	Polk	92	Earth		High	1979
38	Great Falls Dam	White	92	Concrete	Hydroelectric	High	1916
39	Occidental Pond #10 Dam	Maury	91	Earth	Other	Low	1980
40	Chilhowee	Blount	89	Gravity	Hydroelectric	High	1957
41	Elk River Dam	Franklin	82	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High
42	Nickajack Dam	Marion	81	Concrete	Hydroelectric	High	1967
43	Crystal Lake Dam	Hickman	80	Earth		Significant	1989
44	Solutia #11 Dam	Maury	80	Earth		Low	1962
45	Campbell Cove Dam	Polk	77	Earth	Water Supply	High	1963
46	Wilbur Dam	Carter	76	Concrete	Flood Risk Reduction	High	1912
47	Cheatham Lock And Dam	Dickson	75	Gravity	Navigation	Significant	1954
48	Fall Creek Falls Dam	Van Buren	75	Earth		High	1970
49	Whispering Winds Dam	Fentress	74	Earth		Significant	1976
50	Laurel Hill Lake Dam	Lawrence	72	Earth		Significant	1970

← All dams in Tennessee · Tallest dams nationwide