Nickajack Dam, Hydroelectric dam in Marion County, Tennessee, United States
Nickajack Dam is a concrete hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River in Marion County, Tennessee. The structure stands 81 feet (25 m) tall and stretches 3,767 feet (1,148 m) across the river, creating a reservoir with 179 miles (288 km) of shoreline.
Nickajack Dam was built in the mid-1960s to replace the older Hales Bar Dam, which had become outdated. The new dam was constructed by the Tennessee Valley Authority as part of its system of dams on the Tennessee River.
The name Nickajack comes from a Cherokee village that once stood upstream. Today, the dam and its reservoir are part of daily life for people in the region, who use the lake for fishing and boating.
The dam is visible from State Highway 156, which passes close by, and from several roadside pullouts. Visitors can view the structure from these spots, but there is no direct access to the dam itself; the area is best explored by car.
The lower part of Nickajack Cave was flooded when the reservoir was created, so the cave entrance now sits partly underwater. The dam also marks the spot where Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama meet, though this point is not marked by any sign.
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