List of dam removals in Tennessee

This is a list of dams in Tennessee that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

Removals by watershed

Cumberland River

Several tributaries of the Cumberland River have seen dam removals. Metro Nashville removed an irrigation dam at McCabe Golf Course from Richland Creek in 2014. A cinder block dam on Sevenmile Creek behind the Edmondson Pike Branch Library was removed in 2015 to support the endangered Nashville crayfish, 580 of which were relocated ahead of demolition. ^[1] The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere removed two small dams on the Cathy Jo Branch in 2017. Also removed that year was a fish barrier owned by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency meant to keep rough fish from Cordell Hull Lake out of the Roaring River.

Elk River

Proposed removals

The Harms Mill Dam is the only major barrier on the Elk River. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is leading a project to remove the dam, which has been awarded $500,000 from the National Fish Passage Program. This would result in 1,114 mi (1,793 km) stream miles opened to aquatic migration, support the round hickorynut and 45 other species of greatest conservation need, and increase safety for boaters. ^[2]

Completed removals

Dam [3]	Height	Year removed	Location	Watercourse	Watershed
Nashville Zoo Dam Weir 1	4 ft (1.2 m)	2017	Nashville 36°05′23″N86°44′11″W / 36.0896°N 86.7364°W / 36.0896; -86.7364 (Nashville Zoo Dam Weir 1)	Cathy Jo Branch	Cumberland River
Nashville Zoo Dam Weir 2	4 ft (1.2 m)	2017	Nashville 36°05′23″N86°44′06″W / 36.0897°N 86.7349°W / 36.0897; -86.7349 (Nashville Zoo Dam Weir 2)
Chandler Cove Dam	3 ft (0.91 m)	2018	Nashville 36°01′25″N86°40′24″W / 36.0237°N 86.6732°W / 36.0237; -86.6732 (Chandler Cove Dam)	Mill Creek
Culbertson Road Dam	5 ft (1.5 m)	2018	Nashville 36°00′46″N86°41′06″W / 36.0128°N 86.685°W / 36.0128; -86.685 (Culbertson Road Dam)
McRedmond Dam	5 ft (1.5 m)	2018	Nashville 36°08′27″N86°42′53″W / 36.1407°N 86.7147°W / 36.1407; -86.7147 (McRedmond Dam)
McCabe Golf Course Dam	5 ft (1.5 m)	2014	Nashville 36°08′19″N86°50′59″W / 36.1386°N 86.8497°W / 36.1386; -86.8497 (McCabe Golf Course Dam)	Richland Creek
Sevenmile Dam	4 ft (1.2 m)	2015	Nashville 36°02′43″N86°44′45″W / 36.0454°N 86.7458°W / 36.0454; -86.7458 (Sevenmile Dam)	Sevenmile Creek
Roaring River Fish Dam	10 ft (3.0 m)	2017	Gainesboro 36°21′11″N85°35′57″W / 36.3531°N 85.5991°W / 36.3531; -85.5991 (Roaring River Fish Dam)	Roaring River
Harpeth River Dam		2012	Franklin 35°54′32″N86°51′17″W / 35.9089°N 86.8546°W / 35.9089; -86.8546 (Harpeth River Dam)	Harpeth River	Harpeth River
Occidental Chem Pond Dam D	160 ft (49 m)	1995	Williamsport 35°42′22″N87°13′30″W / 35.7061°N 87.225°W / 35.7061; -87.225 (Occidental Chem Pond Dam D)	Duck Creek	Duck River
Monsanto Dam #7	78 ft (24 m)	1990	Columbia 35°39′18″N87°05′32″W / 35.6549°N 87.0923°W / 35.6549; -87.0923 (Monsanto Dam #7)	Duck River
Tailings Pond No. 7 Dam		1990	Maury County 35°39′16″N87°05′39″W / 35.6545°N 87.0941°W / 35.6545; -87.0941 (Tailings Pond No. 7 Dam)	Tributary to Duck River
Monsanto Dam #3	39 ft (12 m)	1988	Columbia 35°40′11″N87°07′25″W / 35.6698°N 87.1237°W / 35.6698; -87.1237 (Monsanto Dam #3)	Tributary to Duck River
Monsanto Dam #4	53 ft (16 m)	1990	Columbia 35°39′55″N87°06′33″W / 35.6652°N 87.1092°W / 35.6652; -87.1092 (Monsanto Dam #4)	Greenlick Creek
Monsanto Dam #5A	52 ft (16 m)	1990	Columbia 35°39′32″N87°06′51″W / 35.659°N 87.1141°W / 35.659; -87.1141 (Monsanto Dam #5A)
Monsanto Dam #9	33 ft (10 m)	1990	Columbia 35°39′40″N87°08′06″W / 35.6611°N 87.1351°W / 35.6611; -87.1351 (Monsanto Dam #9)	Helms Branch
Rhone Poulenc Dam #20	33 ft (10 m)	1995	Mt. Pleasant 35°32′59″N87°10′32″W / 35.5496°N 87.1756°W / 35.5496; -87.1756 (Rhone Poulenc Dam #20)	Quality Creek
Occidental Chem Dam #6	53 ft (16 m)	1991	Columbia 35°38′59″N87°02′00″W / 35.6498°N 87.0333°W / 35.6498; -87.0333 (Occidental Chem Dam #6)	Tributary to Rutherford Creek
Hooker No. 6 Dam		1991	Maury County 35°39′00″N87°01′55″W / 35.65°N 87.032°W / 35.65; -87.032 (Hooker No. 6 Dam)	Tributary to Rutherford Creek
Walkers Dam	32 ft (9.8 m)	1992	Columbia 35°40′01″N87°00′28″W / 35.667°N 87.0077°W / 35.667; -87.0077 (Walkers Dam)	Walker Stream
Gin House Lake Dam	32 ft (9.8 m)	1994	Munford 35°28′38″N89°48′24″W / 35.4771°N 89.8068°W / 35.4771; -89.8068 (Gin House Lake Dam)	Adkinson Creek	Hatchie River
Upper Citico Creek Dam	7 ft (2.1 m)	2015	Monroe County 35°25′13″N84°05′34″W / 35.4202°N 84.0929°W / 35.4202; -84.0929 (Upper Citico Creek Dam)	Citico Creek	Little Tennessee River
Ballard Mill Mine Dam	30 ft (9.1 m)	1992	Sweetwater 35°36′17″N84°23′20″W / 35.6048°N 84.389°W / 35.6048; -84.389 (Ballard Mill Mine Dam)	Tributary to Fork Creek
Spence Farm Pond Dam #5	35 ft (11 m)	1983	Adamsville 35°12′12″N88°22′03″W / 35.2033°N 88.3675°W / 35.2033; -88.3675 (Spence Farm Pond Dam #5)	Tributary to Snake Creek	Tennessee River
Bales Mill Dam			Greene County 36°08′19″N82°45′36″W / 36.1387°N 82.7601°W / 36.1387; -82.7601 (Bales Mill Dam)	Holly Creek	Nolichucky River
Lake Deforest Dam	36 ft (11 m)	1991	Oakfield 35°42′33″N88°46′09″W / 35.7093°N 88.7691°W / 35.7093; -88.7691 (Lake Deforest Dam)	Johnson Creek	Forked Deer River
London's Mill Dam (Tailings Pond Dam)	106 ft (32 m)	1995	Polk County 35°02′33″N84°21′59″W / 35.0424°N 84.3665°W / 35.0424; -84.3665 (London's Mill Dam (Tailings Pond Dam))	Burra-Burra Creek	Ocoee River
Cities Service Company Dam	30 ft (9.1 m)	1995	Turtletown 35°02′26″N84°22′00″W / 35.0405°N 84.3667°W / 35.0405; -84.3667 (Cities Service Company Dam)
Brown's Mill Dam	2 ft (0.61 m)	2014	Lascassas 35°54′07″N86°16′52″W / 35.902°N 86.281°W / 35.902; -86.281 (Brown's Mill Dam)	East Fork Stones River	Stones River
Eblen-Powell Dam #1	32 ft (9.8 m)		LaFollette 36°23′20″N84°08′20″W / 36.389°N 84.1389°W / 36.389; -84.1389 (Eblen-Powell Dam #1)	Ollis Creek	Clinch River
L. Thompson Dam #1	10 ft (3.0 m)	1990
L.C. Hancock Dam #1	8 ft (2.4 m)	1990

Planned and proposed removals

Dam	Expected year	Location	Watercourse	Watershed
Harms Mill Dam [2]		Lincoln County 35°09′02″N86°38′55″W / 35.1506°N 86.6487°W / 35.1506; -86.6487 (Harms Mill Dam)	Elk River	Elk River

See also

• List of dam removals in Alabama
• List of dam removals in Georgia (U.S. state)
• List of dam removals in North Carolina
• List of dam removals in Virginia

References

1. Bennett, Macaela (June 18, 2015). "Dam removal protects Nashville endangered species". The Tennessean. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
2. "Harm's Mill Dam Removal". FWS.gov. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service . Retrieved October 5, 2023.
3. "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare . American Rivers. February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.