The Tennessee Valley Authority is preparing its system of dams for expected weekend rain.
The agency is spilling water at several locations downstream of Knoxville to make room more runoff.
“So we’re going to use our tributary storage places like Cherokee, Douglas, Fontana and other tributaries to store water during this event, and keep it out of the main stem of the Tennessee to reduce flooding,” said James Everett, Senior Manager of TVA’s River Forecast Center in Knoxville.
“Prior to TVA these rivers ran unregulated, and so flooding was very common in the Tennessee Valley,” Everett said. “And so that’s one of the most important reasons we’re here.”
The forecasting center expects 2-4 inches of rain across their coverage area. That much water can lead to sharp increases in water levels, especially after a wet winter.
Everett said some lakes, like Norris, could see as much as 10-12 feet of pool level rise.
“If people are out there working on docks, if they have equipment or boats they want to move, that’s definitely something we want to put people’s attention to,” he said.
While most of the dams were still generating power Friday, Everett said by Saturday or Sunday most will be offline and retaining water. Then, after the rain subsides, the water will be gradually released.
“It’s a balancing act,” he said. “We’re trying to balance the system to meet these competing objectives.”