Barkley Dam

  The Tennessee Valley Authority says their dozens of dams are holding back the most rainfall the Tennessee River basin has seen from January through March since 1891.

Kentucky officials say they are aiming to install a riverbed bubbler and sound system in Lake Barkley early next year as an environmentally friendly way to block the spread of an invasive fish.

  The National Weather Service in Paducah is extending the flood warning for most of west Kentucky until 11:30 Saturday morning.

The resounding message at the 50th anniversary of the Barkley Lock and Dam project in Grand Rivers Saturday, was that with great success often comes great sacrifice.

President Barack Obama signed the Freedom to Fish Act into law today, placing a two-year moratorium on restricting fishing access to the tailwaters of dams on the Cumberland River.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wanted to install signage and a line of buoys separating fishermen from what they characterize hazardous waters. Legislators like Sen. Mitch McConnell felt that the economic impact on tourism outweighed any potential dangers.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill Wednesday to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from restricting fishing access around Corps dams, specifically along the Cumberland River.

Sen. Mitch McConnell sponsored the bill.

The Corps of Engineers wants to install signage and a line of buoys separating fishermen from what they characterize “hazardous waters.” Legislators like McConnell felt the economic impact it would have on tourism outweighed any potential dangers.

Kentucky’s first district congressman Ed Whitfield demands that the Army Corps of Engineers consider solutions other than permanently closing areas around Cumberland River dams to fishing. Corps officials announced in December they would restrict access 700 feet downstream and 400 feet upstream of the dams because the area is dangerous.

Kentucky’s First District Congressman Ed Whitfield says the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers made no promises to change their decision to restrict access near Cumberland River dams, but they were willing to continue discussions. Whitfield and several other lawmakers met with Army Corps of Engineers officials yesterday about the planned restricted access.

Kentucky's 1st District Congressman Ed Whitfield and several western Kentucky judge executives are taking their complaints about changes to Army Corps of Engineers regulations to the top of the chain of command tomorrow. The corps has reinterpreted an existing rule to prohibit recreational activity, including fishing, within several hundred feet on either side of the dams on the Cumberland river.

Kentucky First District Congressman Ed Whitfield says he’s against closing off waters close to Cumberland River dams to boaters and fisherman. Army Corp of Engineers officials say the restrictions would include closing off 400 feet of water upstream and 700 downstream from Barkley Dam.