tva logoTennessee Valley Authority

Apalachia Reservoir

photo of apalachia shoreline

Apalachia Reservoir is located entirely in Cherokee County in western North Carolina, west of the town of Murphy. The dam was designed and built for power generation during World War II.

 

Apalachia Reservoir is a small, deep, cool-water lake set in the mountains of western North Carolina. The dam was built primarily to generate hydropower, but the reservoir also provides a beautiful site for fishing, canoeing, hiking, and primitive camping.

Adjacent to the Nantahala National Forest, the reservoir has very little private shoreline development, and there are no commercial recreation facilities on it.

Because of its isolated nature, relatively few fishermen use the reservoir, although there is a significant amount of rafting and fishing downstream. Sportfish include smallmouth bass, spotted bass, largemouth bass, redbreast sunfish, and white bass.

More information on TVA reservoirs:

Daily reservoir operation information

Sport-fishing index scores

Ecological health ratings

Tailwater improvements

 

Apalachia:
Facts & Figures

Construction of Apalachia Dam began in 1941 and was completed in 1943.

The generating capacity is 93,600 kilowatts.

A pipeline and tunnel system carries water from the reservoir 8.3 miles downriver to the powerhouse to generate electricity.

Apalachia Dam is 150 feet high and stretches 1,308 feet across the Hiwassee River.

Because Apalachia was designed for power production rather than flood control, TVA typically maintains the water level in the reservoir between 1,272 and 1,280 feet of elevation.

Apalachia Reservoir is 9.8 miles long with 31 miles of shoreline and about 1,070 acres of water surface. It collects rainfall from a 1,018-square-mile watershed.

 

 

 

           
Content for id "future1" Goes Here
Content for id "future2" Goes Here
Content for id "future3" Goes Here