The public is invited for a free tour of Great Falls Dam Powerhouse on April 8 to celebrate 100 years of operation.
Guided tours will be given every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Preregistration is required by visiting the Tennessee State Park’s Rock Island website and click on “upcoming events” to reserve a timeslot. Tour participants must register each individual in their party separately, including children. Please print the registration receipt and bring it to the tour for all members in your party.
Tennessee Valley Authority is partnering with Tennessee State Parks to celebrate the anniversary of Great Falls Hydroelectric Dam as part of TVA’s “Built for the People” campaign highlighting the contributions of the hydro-generation fleet.
Tennessee Electric Power Company began construction of the dam in 1915 for the purpose of power generation. It was complete in 1916, started generating power on Jan. 1, 1917, and was named for the falls that plunge into the Caney Fork River below it.
Purchased in 1939 by TVA, Great Falls Dam was one of seven acquired by the company from private companies, and it’s the only TVA dam located outside the Tennessee River watershed. It has two generating units with a net dependable capacity of 36 megawatts.
Registered tour participants should park at the beach area of Rock Island State Park, where informational tents and interactive displays will highlight TVA’s mission of service.  All participants will be required to pass on site security screenings. Buses will transport visitors to the powerhouse. Arrive at least 15 minutes early for your tour as the bus will leave on time.
Coolers and pets are welcome at the park but are not allowed on the bus tours. No alcohol or firearms are permitted. Walk-up seating on the tours will be available by wait-list only.
For visitors to the park who are not going on the tour, please note Twin Falls and the Twin Falls parking area will be closed to all outside guests on this date. Large portions of the beach parking lots will be closed to all outside guests on this date as well.
For more information visit Great Falls’ 100th anniversary.