Santeetlah Hydroelectric Development

Built between 1926 and 1928 on the Cheoah and Little Tennessee Rivers in Graham County, the Santeetlah Hydroelectric Development supplied power to Alcoa's aluminum works in Tennessee. Its central dam combines gravity and arch construction and stands 212 feet high. The powerhouse, housing two Francis turbines with a combined capacity of 45 MW, is built of concrete and Flemish bond brick with cast concrete Doric capitals and terra cotta trim. A five-mile pipeline and tunnel system carries water from the reservoir to the powerhouse, ending at a steel surge tank about 550 feet above the river. The complex is significant for its engineering, since the dam was among the first in the country to control concrete quality with water-cement ratio measurements and vibratory tampers. Its industrial architecture and the retention of original features across the dam, gatehouse, and powerhouse add to its value. The mountain setting has changed little since completion, and the facility remains part of Alcoa's regional hydroelectric system.