Heavy Rains Effect West TN WMAs

Heavy and continuous rains in the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee River systems have resulted in extreme flooding that is effecting crop production on several West Tennessee Wildlife Management Areas according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)

“These heavy rains have caused TVA to slow or stop releasing water from Kentucky and Barkley Lakes”, stated TWRA Waterfowl Biologist Dan Fuqua. “These rains have also flooded our WMAs along the lakes which means all of the areas where TWRA normally plants waterfowl food are flooded and will remain flooded until Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley stabilize at normal summer pool.  After this, TVA will begin pumping the water out of the WMAs.”

“The pumping process takes approximately four weeks to get the water off the waterfowl food areas of the WMAs,” said Fuqua.  “It takes an additional two weeks of drying time before TWRA can begin planting food plots.  Additional rain will prolong the drying time.

TWRA will strive to provide food for waterfowl, but if the water remains on these areas past June 15th, the probability of having descent food plots for this winter will not be good.”