.skip-nav {position:absolute;left:-10000px;top:auto;width:1px;height:1px;overflow:hidden;} Skip to main content
Skip to main content
Norris Reservoir

Norris Reservoir Land Management Plan

Reservoir Land Management Plans (RLMPs) effectively guide land use approvals, private water use facility permitting, and resource management decisions on TVA-managed public land. Norris RLMP was approved by the TVA Board of Directors in September 2001.

Norris Reservoir is an impoundment of Norris Dam in east Tennessee that extends 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell River from the dam. The reservoir extends into five Tennessee counties: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger, and Union.  

The tailwater area below the Norris Dam on the Clinch River is known nationwide for quality trout fishing; the 13-mile stretch is listed in Trout Unlimited’s Guide to America’s 100 Best Trout Streams. Norris also features numerous hiking and biking trails. Water sports at Norris include boating, water skiing, swimming and excellent fishing.

Scope

The scope of the Norris RLMP is 27,926.8 acres. The Norris RLMP contains a regional overview, information about the environment around the reservoir and descriptions of each parcel of land. Norris Reservoir property is divided into 315 parcels, and each parcel is assigned a single land use allocation zone. Descriptions of the allowable land uses within each land planning zone are available here.

Norris Reservoir Land Management Plan

Maps

Use the GIS Viewer Map to find individual parcels and land use allocations for TVA reservoir property.  Click on individual parcels to find out more information about a piece of TVA property.  Please note that parcel descriptions are included in the interactive map viewer for convenience, but may have been altered from the original description due to character length restrictions.  Please reference the appropriate Reservoir Land Management Plan for the complete parcel descriptions.  Also, please note that parcel descriptions are representative of the time in which the plans were written; some information may be out of date such as available facilities or names of commercial operations.

Download Map (PDF)

View Larger Map

How to Use the Viewer Map (PDF)

Allocation Changes

After approval of an RLMP by TVA, all future uses of TVA public lands on that reservoir must then be consistent with the allocations within the RLMP. In accordance with TVA policies and guidelines, allocation changes are only allowable under limited circumstances. The attachment at the link below describes the land use allocation changes that have occurred on Norris Reservoir since the 2001 RLMP was completed.

Allocation Changes (PDF)

Land Allocation Acreage

TVA land around Norris Reservoir has been allocated for certain land uses as summarized in the table below.

Allocation Designation*

 Acreage

Zone 2

Project Operations

935.0

Zone 3

Sensitive Resource Management

4,839.0

Zone 4

Natural Resource Conservation

18,937.0

Zone 5

Industrial

0.0

Zone 6

Developed Recreation

1,743.8

Zone 7

Shoreline Access

1,473.0

 

Total

27,926.8

*Zone 1 is Non-TVA Shoreland with TVA land rights and does not change as a result of the lands planning process.

Environmental Review

TVA’s land planning methodology incorporates the environmental review process established under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their proposed projects on the human and natural environment before final decisions are made.

Norris Reservoir Environmental Review

It is important to note that RLMPs are programmatic plans that designate potential allowable land uses as defined in the land use zone definitions and do not involve specific land actions. TVA would complete an appropriate site-specific environmental review prior to proposed development or activity on TVA public land.