Before you build, modify, or maintain anything in, along, or across the Tennessee River or any of its tributaries, you need permission.
TVA Photo
This is called a Section 26a permit, named after the part of the TVA Act that requires it. Section 26a permits are designed to ensure proposed activities along the shoreline or in the waters of the Tennessee River watershed do not adversely impact or compromise TVA’s integrated management of the Tennessee River system.
Do I need a Section 26a permit?
Most likely, yes. Construction or changes along TVA reservoir shorelines need a Section 26a permit. Particularly if you want to build a new shoreline structure, modify an existing shoreline structure (even minor changes), or request a change in ownership of an approved shoreline structure, stabilize the shoreline, remove vegetation, or withdraw water from a TVA reservoir.
Section 26a applies to “obstructions”—any man-made physical condition that impounds, checks, hinders, restricts, retards, diverts, or otherwise interferes with the movement of water or objects on or in the water.
Examples include:
Minor projects: Residential docks; piers; boathouses; pathways, sidewalks, steps, boardwalks (less than 8 feet wide); shoreline stabilization (500 feet or less); water intakes (less than 50,000 gallons per day); floating cabins; buoy lines and floating signs within approved harbor limits.
Major projects: Boat launching ramps; boat channel or harbor dredging; community docks; commercial marinas; barge terminals; barge mooring structures; utility crossings; bridges, culverts, roads; shoreline stabilization (more than 500 feet); water intakes (50,000+ gallons per day); wastewater or sewage outfalls; and placement of fill.
What does NOT need a permit?
Some activities on privately-owned land are not considered obstructions and do not need a TVA permit (though they may still need local, state, or federal permits).
Important: Permission from TVA is always required before conducting any activities on TVA land, even those listed below.
• Removing trees, stumps, brush, or gravel from a streambed (unless piled to create an obstruction).
• Excavating a new channel or enlarging an existing one (unless it blocks, restricts or drains the old channel; or spoil material creates an obstruction).
• Burying utility lines under a stream by trench (backfilled to original contour, outside navigation channels).
• Directional boring under streams for utilities with no permanent obstruction in the floodplain.
• Construction on temporary, intermittent, seasonal, or wet-weather streams or drainages.
• Discharges into the river system (unless made through an outfall pipe or other obstruction).
• Replacing culverts of the same or greater hydraulic capacity in the same highway alignment (maintenance activity).
• Replacing bridges of the same or greater hydraulic capacity in the same alignment (maintenance activity).
• Construction on certain tributary streams upstream of TVA reservoir influence may also be exempt.
Read TVA’s Interpretive Rule (PDF). These obstructions may still need other local, state, or federal permits. Contact your TVA regional representative for questions about specific locations.
For information, contact TVA at 800-882-5263 or email plic@tva.gov
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