KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT / WOKI) – On Saturday, the Knox County Emergency Management Agency issued an urgent notice to residents in communities along the French Broad River in East Knox County.
Officials said flooding is anticipated along the river due to more water being released from Douglas Dam.
“The release of water is necessary to maintain the integrity of the dam as water flows downstream from affected areas in Northeast Tennessee,” KEMA said.
As more water is released from Douglas Dam, officials said the French Broad River is projected to rise 2-2.5 feet for the next 2-3 days.
Officials said residents in the affected areas are asked to take the following precautions:
- Stay informed by monitoring emergency response agencies in the area.
- Be prepared for potential flooding and possible evacuation.
- Avoid driving through flooded areas, as it can be difficult to gauge the depth of the water and the condition of the road.
If an evacuation is recommended, officials said emergency response agencies and KEMA will notify the affected communities as quickly as possible.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee surveyed storm damage and met with local officials in upper East Tennessee Saturday afternoon.
Lee was accompanied by Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick Sheehan, Senator Marsha Blackburn and other state officials in Blountville.
“There’s a great deal of damage, a great deal of heartache and a great deal of work to be done,” Lee said. “It is heartbreaking to see it. It’s heartening to see the folks come together to start already to reach out to their neighbors and help.
“There’s a lot of work to do, but we’re getting started,” Lee continued. “There is a lot of damage out there and there are bridges out. We’ve seen those. There are roads that are impassable now, so that isolates people for certain.”
“I am heartbroken by the devastating damage in East Tennessee caused by the horrific storm,” Blackburn said. “Thank you to our first responders, Tennessee National Guard, TEMA, and the countless other agencies that have been working around the clock to rescue Tennesseans.”
This comes after heavy rain from Hurricane Helene moved through East Tennessee, including trapping dozens of people on the Unicoi County Hospital roof.
On Saturday, FEMA announced federal disaster assistance was available for state and eligible local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in Cocke, Hawkins and Washington counties.
In Cocke County – The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is claiming that Walters Dam, otherwise known as Waterville Dam, has not failed. TEMA is citing the dam’s owner, Duke Energy.
It comes just about an hour after Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said the dam had suffered a “catastrophic failure.”
“THE WATERVILLE DAM HAS SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE,” Mathis posted to Facebook. “EVACUATION ALL OF DOWNTOWN NEWPORT IMMEDIATELY.”
It’s important to note that both Mathis and TEMA are standing by the evacuation order.
The evacuation notice came as heavy rain brought on by the remnants of Hurricane Helene caused flooding all over Cocke County, especially in areas near the Pigeon River and French Broad River.
According to the United States Geological Survey, both rivers normally sit below five feet. As of 9 p.m., the Pigeon River was sitting at 27.33 feet. As of 9:45 p.m., the French Broad River was sitting at 23.31 feet.
WVLT News reached out to Duke Energy for an update:
Duke Energy currently has all gates open at the Waterville Dam and continues to pass water through the dam. Duke Energy can confirm that both the dam and our floodgates are performing as expected. Hurricane Helene produced historic rainfall over the past 48 hours across much of the Carolinas. We urge people living along our lakes and rivers or in flood-prone areas to use caution, stay informed and follow the directions of state and county emergency management. They should also watch for emergency notification messages on their mobile phones. Duke Energy
As for the dam itself, the Army Corps of Engineers keeps an inventory of dams across the country.
The National Inventory of Dams lists Walters Dam as “high” for potential hazards.
It’s the latest in a series of updates from Mathis about emergency conditions in Cocke County.
“All county and city emergency resources are currently fully engaged in water rescue and evacuation operations,” Mathis said earlier in the day Friday. “We are still several hours from the expected high-water mark. Thank you to all of our emergency responders for their heroic efforts today and in the days to come.”
The situation, not just in Cocke County but across all of Eastern Tennessee, prompted a response from Gov. Bill Lee.
“As Tennessee continues to experience severe weather and flooding from Hurricane Helene, we are monitoring conditions and urge Tennesseans to follow local guidance for key resources, safety information and community updates,” Lee said. “Maria and I continue to pray for all impacted Tennesseans.”
Friday afternoon, Cocke County Sheriff CJ Ball said there have been over 50 rescue attempts in the county with no reported fatalities. Additionally, Ball said a fire truck, a rescue squad truck and seven cruisers with the sheriff’s office have been lost in the flooding.
There is also a shelter open at the Newport Community Center (433 Prospect Ave.) for those living north of Wilton Springs. The Liberty Church in Cosby was designated as the evacuation center for those south of Wilton Springs.
TEMA also provides a list of emergency shelters throughout the state. That’s available here https://www.tn.gov/tema/tennessee-shelters.html.
Mathis has also declared a state of emergency in Cocke County.
As for other dams in East Tennessee, the Tennessee Valley Authority issued a Condition Yellow for the Nolichucky Dam in Greene County out of an abundance of caution.
According to TVA, a Condition Yellow means the dam is approaching its threshold to withstand excessive floodwater. However, officials emphasized that the dam structure has not failed.
