Similar to the nation’s dams, the average age of Tennessee’s dams is about 50 years, with about half of the regulated dams built between 1950 and 1979. Ninety-three percent of the dams in Tennessee are earth dams, 3% are concrete dams, and the remaining 4% are gravity, masonry arch, and rockfill. Of the 661 state-regulated dams in Tennessee, all but 10 are in compliance with the state’s safety standards. Of the dams that are regulated by the TN Safe Dams program, high hazard potential dams are inspected annually, significant hazard potential dams are inspected every two years, and low hazard potential dams are inspected every three years. However, 576 farm ponds in Tennessee (about 41% of the state’s dams listed in the National Inventory of Dams (NID)) are exempt, meaning they are not regulated or inspected, a major contributing factor to the Dams category grade. Funding for the state-regulated dams has typically fallen below that of the national average but has not significantly impacted the ability to inspect all dams currently under their authority.

Launch the full Dams report