Hibbs Island in Norris, Tennessee is located on the Clinch River at Mile 77.9, about 1 mile downstream from Norris Dam, which is owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Norris Dam impounds water for a 110MW hydroelectric powerhouse that was completed in 1936. The island, which belongs to TVA as part of Norris Reservation, connects the two sections of the Norris reregulating weir, a low dam built to regulate the release flow from Norris Dam. The main purpose of the weir is to regulate water flow during off-generation periods from Norris Dam through a series of low-level pipes that ensure a constant minimum flow downstream. This minimum flow is paramount for the local fishing attraction, and the weir function is a design parameter in the flow rates that helps control flooding and promote public safety.
Mesa conducted an evaluation of Hibbs Island in 2020 to create a solution regarding the current deterioration of the island and its impact on the reregulating weir stability.
Hydro Review: Rehabilitating Hibbs Island to Preserve Norris Dam Environmental Flows – Hydro Review
About Mesa Associates, Inc.
Mesa is a woman/minority-owned full-service multi-discipline engineering, procurement, and construction management firm specializing in providing engineering services for the commercial, government, industrial, municipal, and electric utility industry. Mesa is currently providing over $180M of engineering services to 13 of the top 15 utilities across the United States. Our growth is a result of delivering quality projects and value to our clients with unparalleled customer service. We differentiate ourselves by saying we are Large Enough to Perform, Small Enough to Care.