CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Flood Warnings have been issued for the Cumberland River at Clarksville and the Red River at Port Royal until Tuesday evening.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is holding back water at the dams in the Cumberland River Basin to prevent flooding farther downstream in Nashville and Clarksville. The only dam between Nashville and Clarksville is Cheatham Dam, just upstream from Clarksville, but it does not have a flood storage system and must release the water that runs into it.
Cumberland River
The Cumberland in Clarksville was at 47.41 feet at 10 a.m. Saturday. Minor flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast, according to the National Weather Service.
The river will begin rising again Saturday evening, to crest at 50.3 feet overnight Sunday, and it will begin falling early Monday morning.
For context, the 2010 flood crested at 62.58 feet. The 1937 flood crested at 65.7 feet.
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At 50 feet, most agricultural areas along the river flood, as well as many industrial and commercial properties, Riverfront Park and adjacent tributaries. Riverside Drive in Clarksville begins to flood near Highway 48, Providence Boulevard, McClure Street and Cumberland Drive. Also impacted are locations near Quarry Road, Kraft Street near College Street and Providence, Zinc Plant Road, Salem Road and Seven Mile Ferry Road. Water approaches athletic fields near Greenland Farms Drive and properties on Branch Road.
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Red River
The Red at Port Royal was at 31.12 feet Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Minor flooding is occurring and major flooding is forecast, according to the NWS.
The river is expected to begin rising again Saturday evening. It will rise above its 40-foot major flood stage Sunday morning, to crest at 43.7 feet Sunday evening. It will fall below major flood stage Monday morning, and below flood stage Tuesday morning.
The Red River, which has no dams, flows into the Cumberland in downtown Clarksville.
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