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 Stones River below J. Percy Priest Dam flows through the eastern suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, making it the most accessible tailwater fishery for one of the South's largest metro areas. Cold releases from Percy Priest Lake support rainbow and brown trout within minutes of downtown Nashville. The tailwater offers urban anglers a legitimate trout fishing experience without a long drive.
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.
J. Percy Priest Dam generates power based on TVA's daily schedule, and releases can change river levels significantly within a short time. When generators run, wading becomes difficult and potentially dangerous in sections close to the dam. Low-flow windows are the prime wade fishing opportunity and change daily — making the next day's generation schedule essential for planning a Nashville-area trout trip.
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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