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TWRA highlights dam safety campaign after Hardin County names agency 'Friend of Tourism'
Summary
TWRA officers described hazards at hydroelectric dams, showed a safety video filmed at Pickwick Lock and Dam and accepted a Hardin County "Friend of Tourism" award; presenters urged boaters to heed sirens, lights and warnings to prevent fatalities.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, accepting Hardin County’s 2024 “Friend of Tourism” award, used the occasion to press a public-safety message about the dangers of operating boats near hydroelectric dams.
The presentation, given by Capt. Seth Snow of TWRA, included a video filmed at Pickwick Lock and Dam and emphasized that "Calm and pristine waters above the dam can be deceptive," a point Snow repeated during the commission’s committee meeting. Snow said dam operators can release very large volumes of water in minutes and that boaters who experience engine trouble near spillways can be quickly pulled into violent hydraulics.
The agency credited a long-running collaboration on the issue with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Hardin County Emergency Management, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers. Snow said TWRA’s outreach has included distributing a six-minute video to tournament organizers, posting educational materials and displaying a damaged boat used in the film at fishing events.
Why this matters: Snow told commissioners that in Tennessee five dams had at least one fatality associated with spillways in the past decade and that spill conditions can change rapidly. He and presenters urged boaters to treat sirens and warning lights as indications to move away from dam structures and to remember that life jackets, while often essential, may not be enough to overcome dangerous hydraulics.
TWRA also noted the agency’s role in boater education and improvements at Pickwick Landing State Park, including tournament dock and ramp renovations that tourism officials said helped local anglers and events. Chairman Chris DeVaney and other commissioners thanked staff for the safety work and said they found the video “chilling.”
The agency asked the public to treat dams with caution and said the campaign’s goal is to reduce fatalities and near-fatal incidents by improving public awareness through video, in-person outreach at tournaments and coordinated messaging with partner agencies.
Looking ahead: Capt. Snow and TWRA staff said they will continue coordinated outreach at tournaments and through digital channels and encouraged commissioners to support continued interagency efforts and local partnerships to amplify the safety message.
