Tims Ford’s sprawling arms of water are popular with canoeists, kayakers, and anglers—not to mention fishermen of all stripes.
Tims Ford Reservoir is on the Elk River in south-central Tennessee. It extends 34 miles upstream to the northeast from Tims Ford Dam. In addition to power generation and recreation, Tims Ford provides water supply and flood damage reduction downstream on the Elk River, primarily for Fayetteville, Tenn.
TVA monitors water temperatures in the Elk River closely so that it can adjust the operation of Tims Ford Dam to protect a wide diversity of aquatic life. A cold-water trout fishery is supported upstream, and downstream warm-water sport fish thrive—as do many endangered species. Read more about this unique ecosystem in our story, Preserving Life on the Elk River.