Welcome to Fontana Dam

Welcome to Fontana Dam. Highest Dam in the TVA System. , . Fontana is the highest concrete dam east of the Rocky Mountains. , . Construction of Fontana Dam began in 1942 and was completed in 1944. , . Fontana provides 238 miles of shoreline and 10,230 acres of water surface for recreation activities. , . Fontana Dam is 480 feet high and stretches 2,385 feet across the Little Tennessee River. , . Fontana has a flood storage capacity of 580,000 acre-feet (one acre-foot is measured as one acre with a foot of water on it). , . The water level in Fontana Reservoir can vary about 50 feet in a normal year., The powerhouse at the dam has three units that can supply 238,500 kilowatts of electricity. (A kilowatt equals 1,000 watts. Ten 100-watt light bulbs, all on at the same time, equal 1,000 watts.), Your visit to Fontana Dam should include the visitors center and the observation deck atop the visitors center; the overlook on the west side of the dam, offering the best view of the unusual discharge tunnels; and the emergency spillway, which is a short walk up the visitors center access road., The Appalachian Trail crosses Fontana Dam, and a hikers' hut is available just up the access road from the visitors center., Interpretative displays and exhibits are provided at the visitors center to make your visit informative and fun., TVA operates the Tennessee River system and its tributaries , the Little Tennessee River is one of them , to provide multiple benefits to the surrounding area. These benefits include navigation, flood control, water quality, power supply, recreation and land use., Enjoy the beauty and please protect it for those who follow you. . This historical marker is in Fontana Dam in Swain County North Carolina