The Cumberland River is on the brink of flooding after incessant rains hammered Middle Tennessee, according to WSMV. As of Thursday morning, the river's waters loomed at an alarming 36.28 feet, just a stone's throw away from its flood stage of 40 feet. Meteorologist Dan Thomas has projected that the swelling river will surpass that threshold by Friday afternoon, expecting a crest of about 41.9 feet.
Engulfing trees in its watery grasp, the river near downtown Nashville paints a foreboding picture of the upcoming inundation. In a video released, onlookers can already observe nature's encroachment due to the bloated river. The escalating situation continues to be closely watched, with updates on the river's rise anticipated.
In response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District announced their vigilant monitoring of the situation, making necessary operational adjustments to water management to mitigate the flooding threat. Flash flood warnings are in effect for parts of northern middle Tennessee, and a flood watch for most of the state and all of Kentucky has been issued through Thursday morning.
"Our flood storage projects are in a good position and performing as designed going into this weather event," Lt. Col. Robert Green, commander of the USACE Nashville District, affirmed the preparedness of their systems. Yet, the Corps urges caution for the public, highlighting the dangers of just two feet of water's capability to carry away most vehicles and the vulnerabilities of night-time flash floods, which render perilous roads indiscernible.
Adjusting to the deluge, the USACE has been supplied with crucial radar rainfall estimates and forecasts of reservoir inflows by the National Weather Service. Utilizing this information, the Corps coordinates the operational strategies for reservoir projects that directly impact river flood forecasts made public. "While the mainstem of the Cumberland River is not currently expected to reach flood stage, river forecasts do predict action stages being reached at some locations due to the forecasted rain," acting chief of the USACE Nashville District water management section, Clint Neel, acknowledged the potential for concerning water levels to arise.
Currently, the Cumberland River's predicted peaks include 34.7 feet in Nashville by Thursday evening, 42.8 feet in Clarksville by midday Friday, and an imposing 65.2 feet in Dover by Friday afternoon, as confirmed by KFVS12.
