The Tennessee Valley Authority is in a flood control operation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help reduce flooding on the Ohio River.
The flooding follows recent bouts of heavy rain. TVA spokesperson Joshua Clendenen said on Tuesday Cairo, Illinois, is near major flood stage so the utility will use Kentucky Lake to store water.
Because of that, lake levels are expected to rise to 363 feet over the next five days, about four feet above normal summer pool levels.
The National Weather Service in Paducah says the Ohio River near Cairo will continue rising to near 51.5 feet by Tuesday afternoon and will hold steady until Saturday before slowly falling.
