Water flow in Tennessee River increases due to Helene

The Gibson Pier at the Tennessee Riverpark underwater due to increased water flow from the Chickamauga Dam after Hurricane Helene.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)-  The water flow rate along the Tennessee River has increased.

This is due to all of that rainwater from Western North Carolina and Northeast Tennessee coming in this direction.

Right now, the Chickamauga Dam is spilling roughly 800-thousand gallons of water a second, causing all commercial navigation along the river to be temporarily suspended.

Scott Fielder with TVA said, “What that does is it allows us to reduce the amount of water in the upstream so we can prepare for all of that water coming downstream.”

TVA is urging all private boaters to stay off of the water.

Additionally, multiple fishing piers in the Tennessee Riverpark are underwater and are currently closed.