Tellico Dam is a concrete gravity and earthen embankment dam on the Little Tennessee River that was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in Loudon County, Tennessee. Planning for a dam structure on the Little Tennessee was reported as early as 1936 but was deferred for development until 1942. Completed in 1979, the dam created the Tell…
Tellico Dam is a concrete gravity and earthen embankment dam on the Little Tennessee River that was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in Loudon County, Tennessee. Planning for a dam structure on the Little Tennessee was reported as early as 1936 but was deferred for development until 1942. Completed in 1979, the dam created the Tellico Reservoir and is the last dam to be built by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Location: Loudon County, Tennessee, U.S. near Lenoir City
Official name: Tellico Dam
Purpose: Recreational development · economic development · tourism
Construction began: March 7, 1967
Opening date: November 29, 1979
Construction cost: $116 million (487 million in 2023 dollars)
Type of dam: Concrete gravity dam and earth embankment dam