Smith Mountain Project is a two-reservoir hydroelectric generation project operated by Appalachian Power and located near Roanoke , Virginia. Its unique pumped-storage system provides electricity for the region and, at the same time, is a driver for the surrounding area’s economy and a focal point for residential, tourism and outdoor activities.

Built on the Roanoke River and completed in the mid-1960s, the project’s two dams and reservoirs—Smith Mountain and Leesville—have added about 600 miles of new shoreline and about 25,000 surface acres of water for multiple uses.