U.S. Army Corps of Engineers actively managing Cumberland River Basin reservoirs in preparation for Hurricane Isaias
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.
“2026 has been one of the driest years on record for the Cumberland River Basin, where we set low pools of record this summer at Wolf Creek, Dale Hollow, and J. Percy Priest,” said Gabe Wagner, Nashville District water manager. “This lack of water made it challenging to reach typical summer pools at the storage projects, but it has set us up in a favorable position now to store runoff during this potential period of severe weather.”
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 dams and reservoirs.
USACE urges the public, especially marina operators and boat and dock owners, to remain aware of changing conditions and take necessary precautions to protect their property.
Pool elevations and storage capacity vary by project and remain subject to change based on weather and power demands:
At Laurel River Lake, pool elevation is 1,000.8 feet, well below its typical level for this time of year, due to previous dry conditions and generation controlled by the East Kentucky Power Cooperative.
Lake Cumberland, located in South-Central Kentucky, behind Wolf Creek Dam sits at an elevation of 696.1 feet with 10.8 inches of runoff storage available. This pool elevation is approximately 0.1 feet above the historical median elevation for Oct. 8.
Dale Hollow Lake, located on the Central border of Tennessee and Kentucky, stands at an elevation of 639.7 feet with 13 inches of runoff storage available, approximately 0.3 feet above the historical median elevation for Oct. 8.
Center Hill Lake, located in Middle Tennessee, sits at an elevation of 632.1 feet with 8.9 inches of runoff storage available, roughly 0.5 feet below the historical median elevation for Oct. 8.
J. Percy Priest Lake, located in Middle Tennessee, is at 489.5 feet with 5.6 inches of runoff storage available, about 0.2 feet above the historical median elevation for Oct. 8.
Cordell Hull Lake, located in Middle Tennessee, sits at an elevation of 503.4 feet, with Nashville District Water Management currently drawing down water levels toward a winter pool elevation of 499 feet.
Old Hickory Lake, located in Middle Tennessee, is at an elevation of 444.8 feet, slightly below its guide curve elevation of 445 feet.
No unusual fluctuations are occurring at Cheatham and Barkley reservoirs.
About Us
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Water Management team regulates 10 multipurpose dams on the Cumberland River Basin. Its mission is to manage critical water resources by balancing and regulating water levels to support flood risk management, navigation, hydropower, water supply, environmental stewardship and recreation.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/About/Districts/Nashville-District/ on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on X (formerly Twitter) at www.x.com/nashvillecorps. Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest Nashville District employment and contracting opportunities at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district.
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