Tims Ford Dam was built by the TVA from 1966 to 1970, stands high and long at its crest, and impounds the
Elk River for an average of 40
megawatts of hydroelectric power. The reservoir has a flood storage capacity of . The water level in Tims Ford Reservoir varies about in a normal year with the summer level being above sea level. Tims Ford Dam was TVA’s first hydroelectric facility retrofitted with a small generating unit for the purpose of maintaining instantaneous downstream minimum flows. Additionally, of concrete make up Tims Ford Dam. The dam was built for a few key reasons according to TVA: • Create a navigable channel of the Elk River from a point 14 miles downstream. • The power generation would provide 40 megawatts of power from the generator. • The dam provides water supply and flood damage reduction downstream on the Elk River, primarily for
Fayetteville, Tennessee. • Opportunities for water oriented recreation "among the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee" • Future water supplies for towns in the area. ==References==