J. Percy Priest Dam

The Congress of the United States, by the authority of the Flood Control Act of 1946, commissioned the construction of a project under the name “Stewarts Ferry Reservoir.” Public Law 85-496, approved July 2, 1958, changed the name to J. Percy Priest in honor of the late Congressman from Tennessee. Construction began June 2, 1963 and J. Percy Priest Dam was completed in 1968. The 33,052-acre project is managed by a natural resource management staff under the direction of the District Commander in Nashville. J. Percy Priest Dam is visible from Interstate 40 and is located between miles six and seven of the Stones River. It is conveniently located about ten miles east of downtown Nashville and impounds a lake 42 miles long. J. Percy Priest Lake covers portions of Davidson, Rutherford, and Wilson Counties and consists of 14,200 surface acres of water at summer pool elevation (490 feet above mean sea level). The water is surrounded by 18,852 acres of public lands; 10,768 acres are devoted to wildlife management. J. Percy Priest Dam was built at mile 6.8 on the Stones River, a tributary of the Cumberland. The lake is located in north central Tennessee, encompassing portions of Davidson, Rutherford, and Wilson Counties. Rising 130 feet above the streambed, the combination earth and concrete-gravity dam is 2,716 feet long with a hydroelectric power generating plant. The dam has contributed significantly in reducing the frequency and severity of flooding in the Cumberland Valley. In addition to the far reaching effects of flood control, the project contributes to the available electric power supply of this area. At normal summer pool (Elevation 490.0) the 42-mile long lake with its 213 miles of shoreline contains 14,200 surface areas of water. Total storage capacity at maximum pool (Elevation 504.5) is 652,200 acre-feet. Average annual energy output is 70 million kilowatt hours.