Tennessee Dam Project

Cherokee and Douglas Dam

$40 Million Dam Strengthening Project

The Cherokee and Douglas Dams were identified as problematic for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in its quest for licensing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to bring the Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Reactor online in 2015. Issues at the two, 70-plus-year-old dams meant that they were not up to standards, so these issues had to be addressed before the new reactor could begin operation. A total of 104 post-tension anchors were installed to secure each concrete structure to the bedrock below. Eighty-four anchors were installed at Cherokee Dam and twenty at Douglas. We drilled 18 - 42" holes 49" deep at a 60 degree angle as part of the pocket for these post tension anchors. We also performed 20,000 inch feet of wall sawing for removal of the dam flood walls. This work was completed in 12 days with concrete walls that measured 12 to 18" thick.