KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority manages the Tennessee River system and when Hurricane Helene was brewing, they started monitoring it. The storm was projected to be west of east Tennessee, but TVA staff say they were ready for the task when it shifted. It made landfall on Sept. 26 and by the 27, the storm dumped a lot of rainfall on parts of east Tennessee and North Carolina.

TVA lowers reservoirs in the late summer to hold runoff water and prevent flooding as it gets into hurricane season. Darrell Guinn, the senior manager of the TVA River Forecast Center, said having the lakes lowered is what causes flood protection by the dams.

The storm brought days of heavy rain and TVA's River Forecast Center was staffed and ready.

"We ended up bringing in extra staff because it w

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