Flood Management—The TVA Experience

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, increasing attention has been focused on the need for a more comprehensive approach to flood management that combines traditional structural approaches with elements of nonstructural floodplain management. For the past 50 years, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has met its responsibilities for flood control in the Tennessee River Basin through such a dual approach, combining a system of multipurpose dams and reservoirs with a floodplain management program to encourage appropriate shoreline development. This article provides an overview of TVA's flood management program, including a description of the hydrologic conditions in the region, an overview of the reservoir system and its flood control capabilities, and a description of forecasting procedures and flood control operating strategy The development and implementation of TVA's floodplain management program, and its role in reducing flood damages in the Tennessee Valley are also presented. The article closes with a discussi...