TVA was releasing a record 450,000 gallons per second, with the heavy flow headed toward Chattanooga.
TVA officials said, "We are managing record amounts of water from the French Broad, Nolichuuky and Pigeon rivers flowing into Douglas Dam, holding that water back to protect downstream areas like Knoxville, Lenoir City and even Chattanooga."
Officials said Douglas "is stable and secure."
TVA also said, "After a thorough review by TVA’s Dam Safety team, we have determined the Nolichucky Dam is stable and secure. We are notifying local emergency management agencies that we are transitioning to an advanced monitoring mode of the dam and exiting the emergency condition.
"TVA Dam Safety personnel are onsite conducting inspections. Crews are waiting for the water to recede to do additional safety assessments.
"TVA’s River Forecast Center predicts the Nolichucky headwaters have crested. Water levels are receding at about 1 foot an hour. This has been corroborated with onsite observations by TVA Dam Safety crews.
"The Nolichucky Dam peak water elevation hit 1266.0’, which is 9.5 feet over the record elevation of 1256.5’ set on November 6, 1977. The 1.3 million gallons per second flow rate at 11 p.m. on September 27, more than doubles the flow rate of 613,000 gallons per second from the previous regulated release in 1977.
"On September 27 at about 11:30 p.m. ET, out of an abundance of caution, TVA issued a Condition Red alert, which meant that a breach was imminent. The alert was issued due to a lack of visibility at the dam and high water levels at the dam that were rising at that time about 2 feet per hour. TVA engaged with TEMA and local emergency management agencies.
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"Following Helene, TVA continues to manage high water levels to protect communities across seven states using the agency’s sophisticated system of dams to control flooding along the Tennessee River watershed.
- TVA is spilling or sluicing water at dams across the system including on the mainstem Tennessee River.
- The public should be mindful of changing lake levels on tributary lakes and heed National Weather Service watches and warnings.
- Our River Management team remains staffed 24/7 and will continue to monitor this situation.
- from James Everett, General Manager, TVA River Forecast Center
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"Each year, TVA prevents about $309 million in flood damage in the TVA region and along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. To date, TVA has prevented over $9.7 billion in flood losses across the Tennessee Valley, including about $8 billion in damage averted at Chattanooga - the Valley’s most flood-prone city. The system has also prevented about $778 million in flood losses in the lower Ohio and Mississippi river drainage basins."