Millions of years ago the Great Smoky Mountains were created by a chain
of volcanic island moving westward. When these islands collided with the
North American Plate, huge sheets of rock began to thrust upward and marked
the begining of the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Mountains Stretch
from North Georgia up along the Eastering United States.
Westward flowing water began the gorge that you will find the Ocoee River
lays in today. The Ocoee gorge has take millions of years to create and
dring the creation of the Ocoee River you will see some of the most dermatic
landscapes in the Southeast United States.
Approximently 150 years ago Eurpean settlers started to settle in the
area of Southwest corner of Tennessee and began mining the Copper basion.
You
will
find evidence
when
you visit the Ducktown, and Copper hill area of Tennessee. 
In the early 1900's the first dam of the Ocoee River (Ocoee Dam No. 1)
was completed. This dam is also called parksville Dam, the dam was created
to created hydroelectric power. When this dam was created it also created
Parksville Lake. After the first dam was completed TVA built two other
dams on the Ocoee River (Ocoee Dam No. 2 and Ocoee Dam No. 3).
Now the power of the Ocoee River is controled at three points to generate
electricity. At Ocoee Dam No. 3 the water can be diverted to a powerhouse
through a tunnel cut throught the rock on the west side of the river. The
river channed between the dam and the powerhouse normally carries on local
flow and, when necessary, flood releases from the lake, bypassing
the Upper Ocoee River. A 1,500ft long strecth in this segment of the river
was modified to create the 1996 Olympic site for whitewater events. TVA
can release water at ocoee Dam No. 3 to provide flow for the whitewater
center and whitewater rafting. Unlike other rivers and streams the Upper
and Middle Ocoee river can be turned off diverting its flow for more electricity.
Ocoee Dam No. 2 had the same options as the Ocoee Dam No. 3 but the Middle
Ocoee River runs much to the summer months.
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