An estimated $406 million in damage was avoided during Hurricane Helene because of flood mitigation strategies, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority. Computer modeling showed what could have happened in the Tennessee River Watershed,

The Nolichucky Dam is a "run-of-the-river" dam, meaning it does not provide water storage to control flooding. Under normal operating conditions, around 7,500 gallons of water spill over the dam each second. After TVA stopped generating power at the dam in 1972, its primary purpose became to support recreation in the area.