TVA Reservoir Operating Agreements — Flood-Storage, Pool Elevations & Flowage Easements (TN)
Tracked preemption from the Tennessee overlay bundle.
Overview
← All state preemptionsTennessee overlay roll-upTennessee zoning wikiTennessee building codesFederal overlaysGlossaryFederal-conflict: Yes
Effective
1933-05-18
Sunset
—
Authority
federal_via_state
Scope
state:TN
Other Tennessee preemptions
Tennessee State Building Code — 2021 I-Codes via State Fire Marshal SBCOTennessee Voluntary Attainable Housing Incentive Programs — IZ Ban Carve-OutTennessee Short Term Rental Unit Act — Statewide STR GrandfatheringTennessee §6-54-127 — Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning & Rent Control BanTennessee Heritage Protection Act — Memorials on Public PropertyTennessee Agricultural District and Farmland Preservation ActTennessee Industrial Development Board TIF — Economic Impact Plan DistrictsTennessee NPDES Stormwater & Riparian Buffer — Construction & MS4 Permits
Trigger predicate
When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.
OR
parcel.below_tva_maximum_pool_elevation==Trueparcel.on_tva_flowage_easement==Trueparcel.in_tva_flood_storage_zone==True
Preempted fields
3 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.
| Field | Op | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
site_design.minimum_finished_floor_elevation | floor_at | tva_500_year_flood_or_reservoir_maximum_pool_plus_freeboard | Floodable lands below maximum pool subject to TVA flowage easement; structures generally precluded or capped at non-habitable accessory use |
land_development.improvements_within_flowage_easement | waive | — | Permanent structures, fill, impoundments, or vegetation removal within recorded TVA flowage easement require TVA written consent; conflicts with deed reservation are unenforceable against TVA |
review_type | require | tva_flood_risk_review_for_substantial_development | TVA Flood Risk Profile review applies to developments influencing or impeding flood-storage volume in operated reservoirs (separate from FEMA NFIP) |
Citation
Authority source
TVA Act §§4(j), 9a, 26, 26a (16 USC §§831c, 831h-1, 831y, 831y-1); TVA Reservoir Operations Study (2004 Final EIS, ROD); TVA Land Policy (Resolution 2006-07-22, as amended); TVA Flood Risk Profile / Floodplain Management policy
§ 16 USC §§831c, 831y; TVA Land Policy
Research notes
Distinct from TN_TVA_SHORELINE_26A_FEDERAL (construction permits under §26a) — this overlay covers the elevation/floodplain dimension. Each TVA tributary reservoir operates within a Reservoir Operations Study (ROS, 2004) framework defining summer/winter pool, balancing guides, and minimum flow obligations. Flowage easements were originally acquired across all land below maximum pool plus a freeboard (varies by reservoir, typically 1-5 ft); these easements survive transfer and bind successor titleholders. Major mainstem reservoirs: Kentucky (max pool 359 ft), Pickwick (414.5 ft), Wilson (504.5 ft), Wheeler (556.3 ft), Guntersville (595.4 ft), Nickajack (635.0 ft), Chickamauga (685.4 ft), Watts Bar (741.0 ft), Fort Loudoun (815.0 ft); tributary: Norris (1,034 ft), Cherokee (1,075 ft), Douglas (1,002 ft), Tims Ford (895 ft). FEMA SFHA mapping does NOT substitute for TVA flowage-easement check — recorded TVA easements may extend above mapped 1% chance flood. Title commitments routinely flag TVA easements as 'Schedule B' exceptions.