U.S. Army Corps of Engineers actively managing Cumberland River Basin reservoirs in preparation for Hurricane Isaias

USACE Nashville District manages lake levels across the Cumberland River Basin to prepare for rain from Hurricane Isaias following dry summer conditions. NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In response to the most recent path for Hurricane Isaias, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is actively managing several lakes across the Cumberland River Basin over the next three days in preparation for potential heavy precipitation. Although the current storm track places the region on the outskirts of the heaviest anticipated weather, with only 0.75 to 1.25 inches of rain forecasted through Sunday, all flood control storage space remains fully available. These estimates are subject to change over the next couple of days as forecast models develop further.

The Cumberland River Basin has experienced a relatively dry year, meaning the reservoir systems have sufficient capacity to absorb potential runoff. The extended dry period this summer prompted Nashville District Water Management to declare drought conditions within the basin from approximately the middle of April to late June, reducing the projects' ability to generate hydropower and release water. Nashville District Water Management is not expecting flooding of the mainstem Cumberland River, but the public should pay attention to flood warnings and flash food alerts from the National Weather Service because heavy rain could cause localized flooding along creeks and rivers not protected by our