Environment

Water levels at Lake Barkley are six feet higher than normal thanks to weekend rain.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects levels to reach 365 feet mean sea level. Natural Resource Program Manager for Lake Barkley Mike Looney said the water is rising at a slower rate after increasing the amount of water flowing through Barkley Dam, but rain later this week could complicate things.

From Press Release: Land Between The Lakes (LBL) received excessive rainfall throughout the day Saturday leading to extremely saturated soil conditions that caused the temporary closure of Turkey Bay Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area, as of April 29th, until further notice. Turkey Bay management will re-evaluate trail conditions as the weather improves. 

Heavy rain and localized flooding has caused problems in northwestern Middle Tennessee. The National Weather Service says up to 6 inches of rain fell in Stewart County, on the Tennessee River. County school systems in Stewart and neighboring Houston counties called off classes today because of flood damage. No injuries were reported. Shelters were opened for a time and served about 50 people, but were not needed by later on Sunday.

The Tennessee Valley Authority has approved more than 250 small-scale renewable energy projects for 2013, the overwhelming majority relying on solar energy. TVA officials say the demand for renewable energy projects across the Tennessee Valley is strong - so strong that the agency has met its application goals for 2013.

Moderate flooding is expected near Cairo, IL as the Mississippi and Illinois rivers crests this week, but the National Weather Service said the risk of spring flooding will continue for the next several weeks.

The moderate flooding prediction comes two years after historic flooding throughout many of far western Kentucky's river counties.

NWS Meteorologist Rachel Trevino in Paducah said rainfall and snow north of western Kentucky and southern Illinois along with future storm cells could all contribute to the rising river levels.

“The flooding going on up north of us due to rainfall and the snow packs and stuff probably will kind of affect us down in this area probably in the next two or three weeks," she said. " It will take that long for that water to get down here.”