TVA Section 26a Dock Permits on Lake Nottely

The USFS Complication: 70% of Shoreline Is Off-Limits

The most critical dock permit issue on Lake Nottely is not the application process — it is the eligibility question. Approximately 70 percent of Nottely's 106 miles of shoreline is US Forest Service land, managed as part of the Chattahoochee National Forest and permanently excluded from private residential development. TVA Section 26a dock permits can only be issued for properties that have the appropriate land rights — and USFS-designated land adjacent to TVA reservoirs does not carry those rights for private residential structures.

This means that any raw lot on Lake Nottely — any property without an existing permitted dock — must be verified with TVA for dock eligibility before an offer is made and certainly before a contingency is removed. The proportion of Nottely shoreline that is USFS-adjacent is high enough that the odds of a randomly selected undeveloped lot falling in an ineligible zone are meaningful. TVA's land use zone designation for the specific parcel determines eligibility. Calling TVA's Public Land Information Center at 1-800-882-5263 — or better, calling the Murphy NC Watershed Team Office directly at 704-837-0237 — before making any offer on an undeveloped Nottely lot is not optional. It is the first phone call you make.

The TVA Nottely Land Management Plan

TVA completed a Reservoir Land Management Plan (RLMP) for Nottely Reservoir that establishes land use allocations for TVA's 828.6 acres of public land on the lake. The Nottely RLMP divides TVA land into 42 parcels, each assigned a specific land use allocation zone. The allowable uses in each zone — including whether residential water-use facilities like docks are permitted — determine what can be built adjacent to each parcel. TVA's online GIS Viewer map allows users to look up individual parcels and their land use allocations for Nottely Reservoir. This tool provides preliminary guidance, but the definitive answer on a specific lot's dock eligibility comes from TVA staff review — the map is informational, not approval.

The Section 26a Fee Schedule

TVA's Section 26a permit fees for Lake Nottely are the same as for all TVA reservoirs — the fee schedule is federal, not lake-specific:

• New dock construction (on-reservoir minor facility): $500 application fee
• Transfer of ownership of existing permitted dock: $250 application fee
• Major alterations (marinas, community docks): $1,000 minimum

Paying the fee does not guarantee permit approval. TVA reviews each application for environmental compliance, zone conformity, and structural standards before issuing a permit. As of October 1, 2025, all Section 26a applications must be submitted through TVA's online system at reva.tva.gov. Paper submissions are no longer accepted. The processing timeline for minor construction permits targets 100 days when no complications arise.

Dock Permit Transfer at Closing: Non-Automatic

Section 26a permits do not transfer automatically when a Lake Nottely property sells. After closing, the new owner must apply to TVA for a Transfer of Ownership using the $250 application. The dock must be built exactly as previously permitted — same configuration, no modifications — for the transfer application to qualify for the lower fee and simpler transfer process. If the dock has been modified without a TVA permit since the original permit was issued, the transfer application will be treated as a new application requiring full review and the $500 new-permit fee.

Before closing on any Nottely property with an existing dock: obtain the current Section 26a permit from the seller. Compare the permitted plans to the actual dock. If there are discrepancies, resolve them during the due diligence period rather than discovering them post-closing. TVA's Murphy NC office (704-837-0237) can advise on what constitutes a discrepancy that triggers a new permit versus a routine transfer.

The Dock and the 32-Foot Drawdown

TVA dock standards on Lake Nottely must accommodate the 32-foot annual water level variation. TVA reviews dock designs for structural adequacy across the full range of operating conditions — including the potential for the dock to be in very shallow water or briefly contact the bottom at extreme winter low pool. Floating docks on Nottely need extended gangways, appropriate flotation for the range of water elevations, and anchoring systems that handle the full depth range without creating violations. TVA's site visit as part of the permit review will evaluate whether the proposed design is appropriate for Nottely's specific operating conditions.

If you are proposing a new dock on Lake Nottely, engage a local dock builder with specific Nottely TVA permit experience before finalizing the design. Designs that work on lakes with 2 to 5-foot seasonal variations may not be appropriate for Nottely's 32-foot range, and TVA will note this in the review process.

TVA Contact for Lake Nottely Permits

The TVA Watershed Team Office in Murphy, North Carolina handles all Section 26a permit applications, eligibility inquiries, and compliance matters for Lake Nottely:

• Address: 221 Old Ranger Road, Murphy, NC 28906
• Phone: 704-837-0237
• Reservoirs served: Hiwassee, Chatuge, Appalachia, Blue Ridge, Nottely, Ocoee
• Online applications: reva.tva.gov (required as of October 1, 2025)
• General inquiries: TVA Public Land Information Center, 1-800-882-5263

Regional offices no longer accept walk-ins. All meetings are by appointment. For active transactions where dock eligibility is on the critical path, call the Murphy office directly rather than using general inquiry channels — TVA staff can often provide faster clarity on specific parcel eligibility questions by phone than through the formal permit application process.