NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects remnants of Hurricane Francine will likely hit the Cumberland River Basin tomorrow, Sep. 12 through Sunday, Sep. 15.
They are monitoring the situation to be sure everyone remains safe — asking that over the next few days everyone exercise caution around the water. They expect rainfall totals from one to four inches, with the heaviest rainfall near the western part of the Basin.
However, because of the recent drought they don't expect high rises in water levels.
“Due to the recent drought conditions, water levels are low throughout the Cumberland River Basin, giving us additional capacity to manage the expected incoming weather over the next few days,” said Robert Dillingham, acting chief of water management for the Nashville District. “However; it’s important to note that flash flooding in unregulated streams remains possible, especially in urban areas.”
The Corps of Engineers manage 10 dams and four locks in the Cumberland River Basin — all a unified system — meant to help reduce flood risk and stabilize the river.
Officials are asking anyone who lives near the water or plans to be near water to be cautious over the next few days.
"All of our flood risk management projects are currently functioning as intended,” said Lt. Col. Robert Green, USACE Nashville District commander. “If you are planning on being on or near the water over the next few days, we urge the public to use caution and be prepared for sudden water condition changes and direct any immediate emergency needs to local emergency services.”
If you want to have more information handy about how to prepare for floods, you can visit their recommended preparation website.
I LOVE Forrest's stories on the history of NewsChannel 5 as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. Here's a story I wasn't familiar with until recently. Eudora Boxley had a live cooking show in the early days of the station. She may have been the first black on air at NewsChannel 5 and perhaps, one of the first African Americans to have a TV cooking show anywhere in the country. It wasn't until her grandson reached out to me that I even heard of Ms. Boxley. Thankfully, I was able to connect him with Forest to learn more about this great nugget in NewsChannel 5 history.
-Lelan Statom
