What's CLOSED
The South Holston visitor area atop the dam will be closed for an operations project until further notice.
In 1991, TVA built a weir below the South Holston Dam to add oxygen to the river when the hydropower plant wasn’t generating electricity. Oxygen-rich water helps create a sustained habitat for aquatic insects, vegetation, and fish.
South Holston Reservoir is on the South Fork Holston River in northeast Tennessee. It extends 24 miles east of the dam into Virginia. Construction of the dam began in 1942 but was halted in favor of other wartime construction efforts. The building resumed in 1947 and was completed in 1950.
South Holston is operated for several purposes, including flood damage reduction, power production, aquatic ecology, and augmentation of the flow of water during drier periods.
The South Holston Tailwater is home to a thriving wild brown trout fishery, making it a destination for fishermen from all over the world.
A footbridge from the parking lot below the dam leads to Osceola Island and its 1.8-mile-loop wildlife trail. Early in the morning or late in the evening are the best times to sight waterfowl, deer, and other wildlife.
There is a visitor center installation on site to tell you more about the history of TVA and South Holston, and about TVA's current activities.