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Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant

1978 establishments in TennesseeBuildings and structures in Marion County, TennesseeDams completed in 1978Dams in TennesseeEnergy infrastructure completed in 1978
Hydroelectric power plants in TennesseeLandforms of Marion County, TennesseePumped-storage hydroelectric power stations in the United StatesReservoirs in TennesseeTennessee Valley Authority damsUnderground power stations
Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Plant
Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Plant

Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant is a pumped-storage hydroelectric underground power station in Marion County, just west of Chattanooga in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The facility is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Construction was started in 1970 and was completed in 1978.Water is pumped from Nickajack Lake on the Tennessee River at the base of Raccoon Mountain to a storage reservoir built at the top of the mountain. The reservoir at the top of the mountain covers 528 acres (214 ha), with a dam that is 230 feet (70 m) high and 5,800 feet (1,800 m) long, the largest rock-fill dam ever built by TVA. It takes 28 hours to fill the upper reservoir. During periods of high electric demand, water can be released from the reservoir through a tunnel drilled through the center of the mountain, driving electric generators in an underground hydroelectric plant. The plant has a maximum power output of 1,652 megawatts (2,215,000 hp) and can generate for up to 22 hours. The plant is used most days and serves as an important element for peak power generation and grid balancing in the TVA system.The plant was idled in March 2012 due to cracks in the generators' rotors. The plant came entirely back on line in April 2014.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant

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N 35.048333333333 ° E -85.396666666667 °
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Marion County



Tennessee, United States
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Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Plant
Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Plant
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Tennessee River Blueway

The Tennessee River Blueway is a 50-mile (80 km) section of the Tennessee River that flows between the Chickamauga Dam and the Nickajack Dam and through downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee and the Tennessee River Gorge. The City of Chattanooga, the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, and other agencies have designated the section of river as a blueway for canoe and kayak paddler. The Blueway has camping areas next to the river, as well as museums, restaurants, activities, entertainment, and natural attractions. From there, the Blueway meanders its way to quieter places like Williams Island State Archaeological Park. Williams Island divides the river channel with a 450-acre (1.8 km2) tract of land inhabited only by wildlife. From about 1000 to 1650, this area was home to several Native American tribes. It is now managed by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. Then next of course is the 26-mile (42 km) stretch of the Tennessee River Gorge, a steep canyon formed by the Tennessee River. The land provides habitats for more than a thousand varieties of plants, ferns, trees, grasses and flowers as well as a wildlife population. Many of these are rare or endangered species such as the mountain skullcap. Dozens of archaeological sites bear evidence of man's presence in the Gorge for at least 10,000 years. There is a secluded spot where you can see Nickajack Cave from the water. Tennessee Valley Authority biologists monitor its bat population and encourage the public to "bat watch." There is no cave access, but canoeists and kayakers can observe the bats from the river.

Raccoon Mountain Caverns
Raccoon Mountain Caverns

Raccoon Mountain Caverns is a cave located in Chattanooga, Tennessee in a band of Mississippian Period limestone, part of the Cumberland Plateau. Parts of the cave system was discovered and documented as early as 1853, by 1929 Leo Lambert, a local caver who had recently discovered and opened Ruby Falls expanded the known cave passages. Prior to Lambert's arrival, the property was owned by the Grand Hotel and used as a farm for their restaurant. On hot afternoons, it was said that the farmers would relax in front of several cracks in the rock at the base of the mountain and enjoy the cool air that was blowing out. In 1929, Leo Lambert was invited to explore the source of the air. As an experienced cave explorer, Lambert realized that in order for air to blow out of a crack in limestone rock, there must be a large cave beyond the crack to supply such a volume of air. Lambert enlarged the cracks and was rewarded by discovering several hundred feet of well-decorated cave passage in a cave that was close to U.S. Highway 41. He developed a series of trails, installed electric lights, and opened the cave to the public as "Tennessee Caverns" on June 28, 1931. The original tour, now known as the Lambert Tour, circled the Crystal Palace Room which was believed to be the largest room in the cave. Some twenty years after its opening, the Smith Brothers were managing the cave and discovered a small hole just off the Crystal Palace Room. The opening pinched down to 7.5 inches, so tight that the explorers had to exhale so they could squeeze through the gap. Less than twenty feet later, they found that the passage opened into a larger room and continued their discoveries. Eventually, they were able to enlarge the tour to include these newly discovered areas. Today, this ~0.5 mile loop tour is known as The Crystal Palace Tour. Spelunking tours known as Wild Cave Expeditions, were added in the 1970s, allowing visitors to visit the undeveloped areas of the cave beyond the commercial section. To date, over 5.5 miles of passageway has been discovered and mapped, with new discoveries still being made. Over the years, the name of the cave was changed from Tennessee Caverns to Crystal City Caves to Crystal Caverns and eventually to its current name, Raccoon Mountain Caverns in the late 1970s. Today, the property is also home to a campground with full service RV sites, water and electric sites, primitive tent sites, and cabins. The cave is known for its high level of active speleothem growth, fossils, and resident wildlife. In addition to several salamander species, the cave is home to a unique spider species referred to as the Crystal Caverns Cave Spider (Nesticus furtivus). This species, discovered initially in 1938, and officially described in 1984, is only known to exist within Raccoon Mountain Caverns.Raccoon Mountain Caverns is a major tourist attraction and is one of two caves in the Chattanooga/Hamilton County area that is open to the public.

Moccasin Bend
Moccasin Bend

Moccasin Bend Archeological District is an archeological site in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park unit. The National Park Service refers to it as one of the "most unique units found in the entire National Park Service." The area contains remnants of 12,000 years of continuous human habitation and therefore serves as a fascinating area with a rich history and unique cultural significance. For many years, there was little recognition of the historical significance of the area, and years of industrial development occurred on and around sites of archeological importance. After decades of campaigning by concerned citizens, private organizations, local officials, the Friends of Moccasin Bend National Park, and finally a state representative, the area was officially recognized as a National Archeological District in 2003. Moccasin Bend is currently undergoing a process of renovation and restoration that will allow the area to fulfill the National Park Service's mission of preserving "natural and cultural resources" for the "enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations."The 956-acre (387 ha) area is located directly across the Tennessee River from Lookout Mountain, site of an American Civil War battle. The archeological district is significant due to the prevalence of historic artifacts found within some of the most historically important Native American sites in the United States. Moccasin Bend was a part of the Trail of Tears and also played a vital role in the American Civil War. Moccasin Bend National Archeological District is a unique park with a complex and fascinating history.