KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — While many areas of Tennessee have seen hot weather, many other areas also saw a lot of rain.
The Tennessee Valley Authority said the Tennessee River Valley received 200% of normal rainfall in the last week. They said some areas got more than 10 inches of rain, which caused lake levels are some dams to rise above the summer pool.
So, the TVA said they are releasing water from Douglas, Fontana, Chatuge, Apalahcia and many other dams along the main Tennessee River.
They said boaters should stay cautious of floating debris, strong currents and swift water if they planned to go out on the water. They urged boaters to wear a life jacket and stay safe while water is being released from the dams.
"When you're boating or kayaking, there is going to be a larger amount of debris in the area, just because the fast-moving is going to pull that stuff off the shore," said one official. "Number two, you always want to be aware that in shallower areas, the water is going to be flowing a lot faster. So you want to be a lot more careful, especially if you're doing kayaking or topwater activities, where that water is going to pull you."
They said they would be releasing water in a controlled way downstream of the dams that saw heavy rains last week.