Hales Bar Dam

Hales Bar Dam. . , Hales Bar Dam was a hydroelectric dam once located on the Tennessee River in Marion County, Tennessee, USA. The Chattanooga and Tennessee River Power Company began building the dam in 1905 and completed it in 1913, making Hales Bar one of the first major multipurpose dams and one of the first major dams to be built across a navigable channel in the United States. In 1939, Tennessee Valley Authority assumed control of the plagued Hales Bar after purchasing TEPCO's assets. TVA spent two decades trying to fix a leakage problem that had plagued Hale's Bar since its construction, but after continued leakage, and after it was determined that expanding the dam's navigation lock would be too expensive, TVA decided to replace the dam by building Nickajack Dam 6 miles (9.7 km) downstream in 1968. , , Building the Hale's Powerhouse Extension. Top photo facing south-downstream. , , Lower photo by Supt. H.D. Towers shows air view by pilot James Mitchell. Working in the Coffer kDam, on kunits 15 and 16 in Power House Extension. , , May 16, 1951 To obtain more electricity from Hales Bar TVA extendpower house, adding two units. The area to house the extra shown unwatered at left; the completed extension is at right.