Fort Patrick Henry Dam
Encyclopedia
Fort Patrick Henry Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the South Fork Holston River within the city of Kingsport
, in Sullivan County in the U.S. state of Tennessee
. It is the lowermost of three dams on the South Fork Holston owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority
, which built the dam in the early 1950s to take advantage of the hydroelectric potential created by the regulation of river flow with the completion of Watauga Dam
, South Holston Dam
, and Boone Dam
(which were primarily flood control structures) further upstream in preceding years. The dam impounds the 872 acres (352.9 ha) Fort Patrick Henry Lake. While originally built for hydroelectric generation, the dam now plays an important role in the regulation of water flow and water temperature for the John Sevier Fossil Plant and other industrial plants downstream.
Fort Patrick Henry Dam is named for a Revolutionary War
-era fort once located at nearby Long Island of the Holston.
proper). The city center of Kingsport
is just northwest of the dam, and the unincorporated community of Colonial Heights
is also nearby. Warriors' Path State Park
occupies part of Fort Patrick Henry Lake's shoreline. Fort Patrick Henry Dam is 44 miles (70.8 km) upstream from the retention dam at John Sevier Fossil Plant and about 98 miles (157.7 km) upstream from Cherokee Dam
, both of which are on the Holston River proper.
and has 37 miles (59.5 km) of shoreline. The dam is not operated for flood-storage capacity.
(completed 1912) on the river's Watauga River
tributary. In the 1920s, the Holston River Power Company conducted a large-scale survey of the South Fork Holston with plans to build four dams along the river and market the dams' electrical power to nearby cities. Around the same time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed building a dam at the "Pactolus site", roughly a mile downstream from the present Fort Patrick Henry Dam site. When the Tennessee Valley Authority gained oversight of flood control operations in the area in the 1930s, they identified the present dam site (which they initially called the "Wexler Bend site") as more favorable. TVA's completion of Watauga Dam
and South Holston Dam
and the impending construction of Boone Dam in 1950 would regulate the river's flow in such a manner as to make a downriver hydroelectric project feasible. Work on Fort Patrick Henry Dam began on May 14, 1951.
The construction of Fort Patrick Henry Dam and its reservoir required the purchase of 1470 acres (594.9 ha) of land, 167 acres (67.6 ha) of which had to be cleared. 22 families and 2 miles (3.2 km) of roads had to be relocated, and one new bridge had to be built. The dam was completed and its gates closed October 27, 1953. The dam's first generator went online December 5, 1953 and its second generator went online February 22, 1954. The total cost of the Fort Patrick Henry project was $12.3 million.
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
, in Sullivan County in the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. It is the lowermost of three dams on the South Fork Holston owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
, which built the dam in the early 1950s to take advantage of the hydroelectric potential created by the regulation of river flow with the completion of Watauga Dam
Watauga Dam
Watauga Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part of efforts to control flooding in the Tennessee River watershed...
, South Holston Dam
South Holston Dam
South Holston Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the South Fork Holston River in Sullivan County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the uppermost of three dams on the South Fork Holston owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part...
, and Boone Dam
Boone Dam
Boone Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the South Fork Holston River on the border between Sullivan County and Washington County in the U.S. state of Tennessee...
(which were primarily flood control structures) further upstream in preceding years. The dam impounds the 872 acres (352.9 ha) Fort Patrick Henry Lake. While originally built for hydroelectric generation, the dam now plays an important role in the regulation of water flow and water temperature for the John Sevier Fossil Plant and other industrial plants downstream.
Fort Patrick Henry Dam is named for a Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
-era fort once located at nearby Long Island of the Holston.
Location
Fort Patrick Henry Dam is located 8 miles (12.9 km) above the South Fork Holston River's confluence with the North Fork Holston River (which forms the Holston RiverHolston River
The Holston River is a major river system of southwestern Virginia and east Tennessee. The three major forks of the Holston rise in southwestern Virginia and have their confluence near Kingsport, Tennessee. The North Fork flows southwest from Sharon Springs in Bland County, Virginia...
proper). The city center of Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
is just northwest of the dam, and the unincorporated community of Colonial Heights
Colonial Heights, Tennessee
Colonial Heights is a census-designated place in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 7,067 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol –Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol,...
is also nearby. Warriors' Path State Park
Warriors' Path State Park
Warriors' Path State Park is a 950 acre Tennessee State Park in Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee, in the United States. It is named for the Great Indian Warpath that was used by the Iroquois in war raids with the Cherokee and other tribes. The park is located around the Fort Patrick...
occupies part of Fort Patrick Henry Lake's shoreline. Fort Patrick Henry Dam is 44 miles (70.8 km) upstream from the retention dam at John Sevier Fossil Plant and about 98 miles (157.7 km) upstream from Cherokee Dam
Cherokee Dam
Cherokee Dam is a hydroelectric dam located on the Holston River in Grainger County and Jefferson County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The dam is operated and maintained by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s to help meet urgent demands for...
, both of which are on the Holston River proper.
Capacity
Fort Patrick Henry Dam is a concrete gravity-type dam 95 feet (29 m) high and 737 feet (224.6 m) long, and has a generating capacity of 59,400 kilowatts. The dam's overfall spillway has five radial gates with a combined maximum discharge of 141000 cuft/s. Fort Patrick Henry Lake extends 10.3 miles (16.6 km) up the South Fork Holston to the base of Boone DamBoone Dam
Boone Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the South Fork Holston River on the border between Sullivan County and Washington County in the U.S. state of Tennessee...
and has 37 miles (59.5 km) of shoreline. The dam is not operated for flood-storage capacity.
Background and construction
Public and private entities were aware of the hydroelectric potential of the South Fork Holston River by the early 1900s, when the Watauga Power Company built Wilbur DamWilbur Dam
Wilbur Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is one of two dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The dam impounds Wilbur Lake, which extends for about up the Watauga to the base of Watauga Dam...
(completed 1912) on the river's Watauga River
Watauga River
The Watauga River is a large stream of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. It is 60 miles long with its headwaters on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain and Peak Mountain in Watauga County, North Carolina.-Hydrography:...
tributary. In the 1920s, the Holston River Power Company conducted a large-scale survey of the South Fork Holston with plans to build four dams along the river and market the dams' electrical power to nearby cities. Around the same time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed building a dam at the "Pactolus site", roughly a mile downstream from the present Fort Patrick Henry Dam site. When the Tennessee Valley Authority gained oversight of flood control operations in the area in the 1930s, they identified the present dam site (which they initially called the "Wexler Bend site") as more favorable. TVA's completion of Watauga Dam
Watauga Dam
Watauga Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part of efforts to control flooding in the Tennessee River watershed...
and South Holston Dam
South Holston Dam
South Holston Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the South Fork Holston River in Sullivan County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the uppermost of three dams on the South Fork Holston owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part...
and the impending construction of Boone Dam in 1950 would regulate the river's flow in such a manner as to make a downriver hydroelectric project feasible. Work on Fort Patrick Henry Dam began on May 14, 1951.
The construction of Fort Patrick Henry Dam and its reservoir required the purchase of 1470 acres (594.9 ha) of land, 167 acres (67.6 ha) of which had to be cleared. 22 families and 2 miles (3.2 km) of roads had to be relocated, and one new bridge had to be built. The dam was completed and its gates closed October 27, 1953. The dam's first generator went online December 5, 1953 and its second generator went online February 22, 1954. The total cost of the Fort Patrick Henry project was $12.3 million.
External links
- Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir — official TVA site