Army Corps of Engineers Warns of Cumberland River Flooding

From an e-mail sent to NewsChannel 9 by the Army Corps of Engineers:

Runoff from recent rainfall has led to higher than normal release flows from dams along the Cumberland River, and higher releases are expected, the US Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District announced today. Areas along the banks of the Cumberland River and its tributaries, particularly those areas in the floodplain, may see flooding in the coming days, due to increased river flows as well as increased rainfall runoff.

Since heavy rains began seven days ago, the Corps has increased releases at dams along the river by operating hydropower turbines, opening sluice gates, and opening spillway gates. Both Wolf Creek Dam in Russell County, Ky. and Center Hill Dam in Lancaster, Tenn. are operating at an increased release capacity in an effort to slow the rise of the lakes behind them. Both projects are currently under lake level restrictions and undergoing major rehabilitation due to seepage concerns. Releases are in accordance with revised operating plans aimed at restoring the lake pools to their target restricted levels. No problems have been observed at these projects due to the high water.

Discharges at Wolf Creek Dam and Center Hill Dam last reached these levels in the spring of 2003. While the current releases are higher than those seen in recent years, they are not at record levels, according to Bob Sneed, Chief of Water Management for the Nashville District. Rainfall and runoff predictions do suggest that flows will increase over the next several days.