A new study says the Tennessee Valley Authority's reservoirs create $1 million dollars per mile in revenue each year.
University of Tennessee's Institute of Agriculture found the river system generates nearly $12 billion dollars annually.
The study was conducted by a team of scientists from the UTIA Agri-Industry Modeling & Analysis Group.
According to the study, the revenue comes from a combination of recreational activities and waterfront properties.
The study also found the 49 reservoirs support 130-thousand jobs in the area. In addition to the job support, it shows that they contribute to $4.45 billion in labor income and $916 million in state and local taxes.
