Tennessee Valley Authority
Repairs Continues at Little Bear Creek Dam
February 9, 2010
MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. - The Tennessee Valley Authority will raise the water level in Little Bear Creek Reservoir to complete maintenance and repairs on Little Bear Creek Dam in Franklin County, Ala.
The reservoir, lowered since September to provide access to the dam, will be raised to 612 feet above sea level -- still 8 feet below normal operating levels -- so work crews can finish installing a new grout curtain. The work involves drilling a row of vertical holes into the foundation, then injecting grout to form a water-tight barrier.
The work is scheduled to be completed by early March, when TVA will fill the reservoir to 2 feet below normal to test the effectiveness of the repairs. Once testing is complete, the reservoir will be allowed to fill to its normal water level of 620 feet above sea level. Little Bear Creek is one of four dams that help control flooding, recreational opportunities and water supply in northwest Alabama.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development
Media Contact
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville (865) 632-6000