In anticipation of more rain this week, the Tennessee Valley Authority says it is planning to spill dams across the state and take other precautions to avoid potential flooding.
The TVA’s River Forecast Center has noted 2018 was wetter than average in Tennessee, and 2019 has started out in a similar fashion.
Forecasters are saying our region could get a month’s worth of rain in the coming week and, with the ground already saturated from last week’s rainy weather, that could spell big problems with regard to runoff and eventual flooding issues.
“We’re seeing the potential for a lot of rainfall,” said River Forecast Center Manager James Everett, who noted preparing for that rain and managing water flow are high on the RFC’s priority list.
In situations like this, TVA makes plans to release water from tributary dams to accommodate the expected influx. Lakes associated with those dams are at winter pooling levels, so runoff and new precipitation amounts may be safely stored.
TVA expects far higher runoff with the expected rainfall this week. Roadside ditches and creeks are already swollen and the ground is soaked, so heavier rainfall means we can expect greater potential flooding.
