The acquisition phase of the project required the usage of eminent domain, a statutory right granted to TVA at its establishment by Congress in 1933. This legal authority allowed TVA to take ownership of private property for uses the TVA deemed to be for public benefit. Many property owners concerned about seizure of land reported that TVA personnel provided "taking lines" about the extent of private land acquisition that was planned. Many viewed these actions as TVA overreaching their authority, provoking more public opposition to the project. Unlike with TVA's early hydroelectric projects, the documentation of residents relocated was based on poorly executed efforts. TVA officials had never documented an exact number of how many families were to be affected, even after the property acquisition process had started in 1963. Initial estimates suggested the removal of 600 families, whereas the actual number was closer to 350 families. No documentation has been made down to the individuals all of the 350 families removed. Most of the families mandated to move complied, but three unwilling property owners were evicted by U.S. Marshals and watched their houses being demolished as they were evicted. In regards to the Tellico project's impact on the area's farming industry, 330 farms along the Little Tennessee River were lost following its inundation. In total, $25.5 million was spent by the TVA for land acquisition.
