It’s more than just a phrase. Each word expresses an aspect of TVA’s steadfast commitment to the management of the Tennessee Valley’s natural resources in a way that considers the system as an integrated whole. 

This approach means balancing the many demands and constraints of the Tennessee River system, which stretches from Bristol, Virginia, to Paducah, Kentucky. Through integrated resource management, TVA’s six distinct areas of responsibility—for navigation, flood control, power supply, water quality, land use, and recreation—become one. 

When TVA was founded in 1933 under the TVA Act, its first job was to tame the wild river so as to eliminate the flooding that had routinely devastated the region. 

Ever since, TVA’s engineers and system designers have worked to balance and maximize all the river’s uses. The refinement never stops, but the goal is constant: to ensure that the maximum benefit is distilled from every drop of water in the river system.
 

	TVA's flood-control efforts prevent an estimated $138 million in damage each year in the Tennessee Valley, as well as another $9 million in potential losses along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
	The Tennessee River includes 650 navigable miles.
	The TVA system includes 20 dams for flood control and 29 for power supply.
	TVA manages 480,000 acres of recreation lakes.
	TVA oversees the use of 11,000 miles of public shoreline.

Environmental Services
Six decades of environmental stewardship have given TVA unmatched technical expertise in sustainable resource development and industrial waste reduction. Let us put our expertise to work for your company.

TVA Natural Heritage Project
The Tennessee Valley teems with wildlife. TVA maintains this inventory of threatened and endangered species to help guide its river management. This invaluable research tool is available here to all.

Land Between 
the Lakes
Management of this national recreation area, under TVA stewardship since 1963, is now being transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. Learn about the LBL's natural attractions, recreational activities, education programs, history, and more.

Green Power
Ten distributors of TVA power are poised to launch a test of TVA’s new program for environmentally friendly power generation. Find out how green power will promote renewable sources of energy—and how you can get it.