CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Heavy rains over the weekend have pushed the Tennessee River up to flood stage, closing Chattanooga's Tennessee Riverpark and affecting about 30 Chattanooga families.
Tennessee Valley Authority reservoirs across the state are full, and TVA's water managers are spilling as much water through the dams as they safely can, especially since rain is expected again on Thursday.
The good news is that all of this water will likely mean lower power bills in coming months for TVA customers, although it is too early to estimate the amount.
It's unusual to have so much rain in the summer, when TVA usually struggles to keep dams full for recreation. TVA typically draws down reservoirs to their lowest levels in the fall and winter to make storage space for spring rains.