Tennessee Valley Authority

Tennessee Valley Authority. . , Various options, including the construction of a huge levee along the waterfront area, were proposed to address flooding in Chattanooga. , , One of the earliest efforts was the construction of the Hale's Bar Dam, the first multi-purpose dam on the Tennessee River, which was completed in 1913. , , However, it was not until 1933 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that a comprehensive plan was developed to address the flooding issue. Through its system of locks and dams, TVA would provide flood control, improve navigation, generate electricity, create jobs, and improve the quality of life in this region. , , President Roosevelt visited Chattanooga in September 1940 to dedicate the nearby Chickamauga Dam, upstream from this spot. In his remarks, Roosevelt referred to the series of reservoirs along the river as the "Great Lakes of the South," which would harness the "vagrant stream" of the Tennessee "in order that it may serve in full the purposes of mankind." , , Top left image caption: Chickamauga Dam Under Construction, 1938 , Courtesy of Chattanooga Public LIibrary, Paul A. Hiener Collection , , Bottom left image caption: Chickamauga Dam Under Construction, 1930s , Courtesy of Chattanooga Public LIibrary , , Top right image caption: Chickamauga Dam Under Construction, 1930s , Courtesy of Chattanooga Public LIibrary , , Bottom right image caption: President Franklin D. Roosevelt (seated) at the dedication of the Chickamauga Dam in 1940. , Courtesy of Chattanooga Public LIibrary, Paul A. Hiener Collection