Abstract

The Tennessee Valley Authority has been well regarded as the world’s best known example of comprehensive river basin development and management. This study focused on the historical changes of sediment loading and soil erosion in the basin and aimed at linking land use change and sediment loading in the river. Published historical sediment data at four main hydrological monitoring stations on the main channel indicated that sediment concentration and sediment delivery ratios were decreasing during 1935 to 1942, coinciding with a dry period during 1939 to 1942 and a period of construction of large reservoir systems. Monitoring data from nine hydrologic stations without dam constructions showed sediment loading was lower during 1963-1965 than during 1935-1938 while the two periods had similar streamflow and precipitation. Sediment data from one tributary of the Tennessee River in three periods, 1935〜1938, 1939〜1942 and 1963〜1965 also indicated a declining trend similar to reductions of agricultural land and population decrease in the agricultural sector. We concluded that soil and water conservation activities as well as dams played a major role in the historical sediment reduction in the TVA.

Keywords: Tennessee River Authority; Soil and water conservation; soil erosion and sediment transport.