GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — The Tennessee Valley Authority is constructing a berm along the western earthen embankment of Kentucky Dam starting this week. The public may notice heavy equipment and workers in the area.

Contractors employed by TVA will be stripping topsoil and placing a berm made of sand, gravel, and stones on the downstream slope of the Kentucky Dam embankment. The completed berm will stand approximately 400-feet-long and 10-feet-high. Construction is scheduled to last about two months.

This modification comes after a recently-completed seismic stability analysis performed as part of TVA’s Dam Health Check Program. The analysis determined that an extreme earthquake near the dam could cause settlement of the embankment crest. The berm will add an extra layer of safety for the public.

 In addition to the berm construction, work also will be done to improve downstream surface drainage, including filling in some low areas and removing trees between the dam embankment and the U.S. Highway 62 embankment west of the powerhouse access road. 

The construction work is not expected to impact highway or boating traffic near the dam. However, visitors should take special precautions during the work to avoid any marked construction areas for their safety.

           Keeping its dams operating properly, and the communities near them safe, is a top priority for TVA. TVA monitors its dams routinely and continuously updates its Dam Safety Program to meet current industry standards. For more information about Kentucky Dam and TVA’s dam safety work, please visit www.tva.com.

For more information about TVA and its 84-year mission of service to the Tennessee Valley, click here.