TVA suspends whitewater rafting on Ocoee River for two weeks due to coronavirus outbreak

April 3, 2020 at 5:17 p.m. | Updated April 3, 2020 at 5:17 p.m.

by Dave Flessner

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Shawn Malone navigates down the Upper Ocoee during the second annual Ocoee River Championships Friday, Sept. 13, 2019 in Copperhill, Tennessee. The Ocoee River Championships is a three-day whitewater competition and festival held on the Ocoee River in the Cherokee National Forest.
Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Shawn Malone navigates down the Upper Ocoee during the second annual Ocoee River Championships Friday, Sept. 13, 2019 in Copperhill, Tennessee. The Ocoee River Championships is a three-day whitewater competition and festival held on the Ocoee River in the Cherokee National Forest.

Whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River is being suspended for two weeks due to the coronavirus.

The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Friday it is temporarily discontinuing recreational releases on the Ocoee River starting Saturday through April 18.

"This action aligns with closing access to all Tennessee State Parks and temporary shutdown of developed recreation sites in Cherokee National Forest," TVA said in a tweet today. "The health and safety of employees and the public is TVA's top priority."

More information on closures at Tennessee State Parks and National Forest recreation areas is available at https://tnstateparks.com/about/keeping-visitors-healthy and https://www.fs.usda.gov/

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