TVA DAMS HOLDING BACK WATER

TVA dams holding back water to help prevent downstream flooding

 By Dick Byrd Daily Times Correspondent

As East Tennessee and much of the South mourn the storm deaths and clean up the tornado damage, a new major problem is beginning. This one is a flood — a big flood that could reach historic proportions in some areas along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. It could be an even worse flood except for the work done by The Tennessee Valley Authority.
A combination of snow melt and ongoing heavy rain has worked to make the mighty Mississippi swell beyond its banks. Flooding is also a big problem on the Ohio and Arkansas Rivers, themselves major rivers that also happen to feed into the Mississippi. And it isn’t close to being over yet. Emergency officials in Shelby County estimated that 5,300 homes and businesses will likely be affected by flooding as the Mississippi River and its backed-up tributaries keep swelling. Properties include single-family homes, commercial and industrial properties, and apartments in at least 17 of the 41 zip codes in Shelby County, which includes Memphis.