Melton Hill Dam

The marathon of sites for the day brought me to Melton Hill as the 6^th stop, 5^th site. And we are back to the seen one dam, seen them all feeling. And it is you’re a-Typical dam much like Tims ford dam. The dam was very quiet and quaint, but there is one thing that struck me more than anything else. It had a different Vertical Francis type turbine on display.

Some after visit trivia on Melton Hill. The dam is the only on a tributary of the Tennessee River to have a navigation lock.

Fort Loudoun

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TVA built it fast in the 40’s to generate power for defense industries open the Tennessee river for shipping. I’m told it is one of the largest lock dams in the world, and navigation locks at 1,200 ft, likewise. The single lock lifts a boat 60 feet.

Another dam with Vertical Francis turbines however for scale, while Melton Hill has 2, Fort Loudoun has 24! What a beast!

After ride trivia time! Fort Loudoun used to have a road overtop much like Chickamauga does now.

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Read More on these dams at the sites below:

[Melton 1](https://www.tva.com/energy/our-power-system/hydroelectric/melton-hill-reservoir) | [Melton 2](https://www.tn.gov/twra/fishing/where-to-fish/east-tennessee-r4/melton-hill-reservoir.html) | [Melton 3](https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/tva-melton-hill-dam-and-reservoir/55e9554d-f052-4c2a-85c9-49e99f27378f) | [Loudoun 1 ](https://www.knoxnews.com/picture-gallery/news/2024/11/26/fort-loudoun-dam-and-fort-loudoun-lake-in-knoxville-tn/2786156001/) | [Loudoun 2](https://www.tva.com/energy/our-power-system/hydroelectric/fort-loudoun) | [Loudoun 3](https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/fort-loudon-dam-lenoir-city-tn/)