Toccoa/Ocoee River
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The Toccoa River and Ocoee River are actually a single river that flows northwestward through the southern Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern United States. It is called the Toccoa in Georgia, until it reaches the twin cities of McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee. The remainder is called the Ocoee through Tennessee, known for its whitewater rafting, and host to kayaking events during the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics held primarily in Atlanta, about 100 miles (160 km) to the south.
The Ocoee River is a tributary of the Hiwassee River, which it joins in Polk County, Tennessee near the town of Benton, Tennessee. It was an important river for both the Cherokee and Creek Indians.
The Ocoee's flow is controlled by the Tennessee Valley Authority via three dams. Most often the riverbed is nearly dry in the ten-mile stretch used for sporting, the water being diverted through flumes along the side of the mountains. The dam that controls the middle section of the river and diverts the water through the flume was originally built in 1913 to provide electricity to the copper mines upstream. TVA aquired the one original dam and built two more in the depression era. These dams generate 67,000 kilowatts of electricity in total. The Middle Section contains some 20 named rapids and provides thousands of people recreational oppurtunities throughout its 8 month season. One of the largest rapids on the Middle Ocoee, "Hell's Hole," runs right beneath the power station, with "Powerhouse," a significant ledge with a strong hydralic, right after it. Upstream (to the south), the TVA also operates Blue Ridge Dam, which creates Lake Blue Ridge (called Blue Ridge Reservoir only by the TVA).
