By AP
Nashville, TN – The release of water from a dam upstream of Nashville during a historical flooding event has prompted a US Senate inquiry into whether the public was adequately warned about rising waters downstream. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the controlled release of water from Old Hickory Dam throughout the weekend of May 1st prevented the lake from spilling over the dam and flooding Nashville with an additional four feet of water.
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander has asked for a hearing on how well the corps and other state and federal agencies delivered accurate information to businesses and individuals in the midst of the flooding that killed nine in Nashville alone. Bob Sneed of the corps says they notified the National Weather Service about the release of water for use in flood warnings.