Tennessee Valley Authority
It's impossible to cruise the Tennessee and not be reminded of the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)--if only because their signs are everywhere. In fairness, they did build all the locks, dams, and power plants along the river's 600 mile length. The TVA is a Government owned corporation that came about during the Great Depression. It's goal was to boost the economy of what was then a very poor area.
The Tellico Dam, the 69th built by the TVA, is arguably it's most infamous. Started in 1968 it's construction was temporarily halted in 1975 by the newly enacted Endangered Species Act. The sail darter, a 4" fish which lives in the Little Tennessee, became the subject of a court battle when it was listed as an endangered species.
Snail Darter
The TVA won the initial court case. However, on appeal the verdict was overturned and work on the dam was halted. The Supreme Court upheld the Appeals Court verdict. The dam was 95% complete at the time.
After several other legislative efforts to resuscitate the Tellico Dam failed. Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee, successfully added a rider to a 1979 appropriations bill. The Tellico's construction was finished later that same year.
Where are we now?
According to Charles Schultze, President Carter's chief economic advisor, the TVA's economic justification of the Tellico Dam was completely spurious. The TVA's numbers were so bad, he said, that even divided by 20 the project couldn't pay for itself.
According to Dr. David Etnier, the University of Tennessee biologist who discovered the snail darter in August 1973, he was in the river to find some endangered animal that could be used to stop construction on the Tellico Dam. The snail darter was his dream come true.
The snail darter's habitat was destroyed by the Tellico Dam. However, snail darters are now known to exist in other areas. In 1984 their status was upgraded from endangered to threatened.
It was a stormy day here in Scottsboro, Alabama. We stayed tried to the dock in Goose Pond Marina. Holding at 1900 miles for the trip. DBH
