Shoals Tennessee River

Muscle Shoals, a portion of the Tennessee River, was part of the Tennessee River. The river was unique because it had a 130 foot drop in elevation for 30 miles. The drop in elevation made it seemingly impossible to travel upstream, or against the current. The drop in the elevation created rapids, called “shoals”. This part of the Tennessee River is where the Tennessee Valley Authority originated. The Tennessee River Valley was a very fertile place. Cotton and corn thrived growing in the river valley. However, this didn’t last long. Every spring, there was a huge amount of rainfall. The rain could reach heights of up to 6 feet. During this time of year, the valley lost tons of great topsoil needed for growing the crops. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on May 18, 1933 as part of legislation that marked his first 100 days in office. Authorities got the land in 1916 so they would be able to build the dam. The TVA was said to improve navigation and provide flood control on the Tennessee River. The TVA was going to be made up of a system of about 35 dams that would be used to contain the water flow. Officials also said that the dam would generate much needed electricity for explosives for World War l efforts. However, the war ended before the dam was actually built. The Tennessee Valley Authority included seven states- Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The TVA was also the only New Deal operation to become a permanent part of the US government and still exists today. It was an independent government corporation that was managed by a board of directors.
It wasn’t always very easy for them though. They had a lot of setbacks and failures. However, they brought electricity to thousands which was much needed in the valley. The TVA was said to be one of the most ambitious and committed projects in the New Deal. When the Great Depression ended in the late 1930’s, it caused a lot of people to have to start over in their lives. They had to begin again and the Tennessee Valley Authority provided them with this fresh start. The TVA drastically changed the 1930’s. The TVA provided many unemployed people jobs, it made the river valley safer, and provided the people living there with amazing resources and opportunities. The TVA improved all of the lives living in or on the river because electricity was becoming necessary in everyday life and the TVA provided that. In conclusion, the Tennessee Valley Authority was one of the many great projects to happen after the war and the Great Depression were a thing of the past. It provided so many individuals with a fresh start to being their lives over again. They TVA was also very successful because it’s still used and loved to this
day.