Valley Precipitation

Rain Gauge Data

TVA receives data from 247 rainfall gauges strategically located in watersheds across the Tennessee Valley. Most of these devices are owned and maintained by TVA, including 126 gauges in the eastern part of the Valley and 52 in the western part.


	TVA uses self-emptying rain gauges that funnel precipitation into a bucket that tips when a certain amount of rainfall is collected. The gauge records the number of tips and transmits information to TVA by satellite hourly or every three hours, depending on the gauge.

TVA also receives rainfall data from 58 gauges on the Cumberland River system that are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and 11 gauges in watersheds throughout the Valley that are operated by the U.S. Geological Survey.

TVA uses this information together with data from streamflow gauges and Doppler radar to make water management decisions — for example, whether to store the water coming into the river system during flood events or release it to make room for potential floodwaters yet to come. The National Weather Service, municipalities, and other government agencies also use data from TVA’s rainfall gauge network.

To access the rainfall data, use the pull-down menus below. Select a gauge location and then choose the time period in which you are interested.

Select State(s)

Select Gauges

Windows Users
Hold CTRL and click to select multiple sites.

Mac Users
Hold Command and click to select multiple sites.

Select Time Period of Data

Select Format