Dam operators post the next day's generation schedule each afternoon. Knowing when generators are running — and when they're off — is the difference between a great day on the water and a wasted drive to a blown-out river.
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The Elk River flows below Tims Ford Dam near Winchester, Tennessee, in the rolling hills of southern Middle Tennessee. Cold releases from Tims Ford Lake create a tailwater fishery that holds rainbow and brown trout in water that stays fishable year-round. The Elk is a productive but often overlooked tailwater that offers a quieter alternative to the more famous Caney Fork.
Tailwater rivers below hydroelectric dams are controlled fisheries — the river's character changes completely depending on whether the dam is generating power. When generators run, water rises, currents accelerate, and wading conditions range from difficult to dangerous. When generation stops, the river drops to a low-flow state ideal for wade fishing.
Dam operators post the next day's generation schedule each afternoon — but finding that schedule means navigating agency websites and PDFs that aren't designed for anglers. TailwaterAlerts translates that data into a clear, hourly email you can read in 30 seconds.
The TVA posts generation schedules on their website, typically between 2 and 4 PM CT for the following day. You can check the TVA schedule directly, or sign up below and TailwaterAlerts will email you a formatted, easy-to-read version the moment it posts.
Tims Ford Dam generates power based on TVA's daily demand schedule. When generators are running, the Elk River rises and safe wading becomes impossible in many sections. Low-flow windows — published the day before in TVA's generation schedule — offer the best wading and typically the most active trout. Checking the schedule beforehand prevents wasted trips to high, off-color water.
TailwaterAlerts checks the generation schedule every 5 minutes starting at 1 PM CT. The moment the schedule posts, you get an email with a color-coded hourly breakdown and the best wading window highlighted. One email per day. Free. No app required.
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