Update: 5/1....The Corp has changed the amount of generation to 50% of the maximum daily generation (maximum is 2 generators 24/7).  It will be up to the Power Administration to determine the hours of generation.

The tornado was south of the Little Red River on Sunday, but after the storm passed, debris from the destruction is being found over the Heber Springs area.  I would like to take this opportunity to say that my thoughts and prayers are with all that suffered loss of family, friends and homes to the storm.  There was widespread destruction for about an 80 mile track from the storm.
 The river received about 4 inches of rain during the storm with most of the rainfall occurring below the dam.  The lake level has risen about 3 feet to 465.20.  This means that on May 1 the lake will be about 2 feet above normal when the conservation pool level changes to 463.04.  This would normally mean that we would see generation 24/7 until the lake returned to normal, but with heavy rain at Batesville, the White River is above the required level at Georgetown and is flooding crop land.  I spoke with the Corp on Monday and was told that generation would amount to about 25% of the maximum amount until the White River could take the inflow from the Little Red and not aggravate flooding in that area.  As long as the morning temperatures remain below normal, there probably will be some early morning generation but the Power Administration told me as soon as the temps return to normal the generation will mostly be in the afternoons and evenings due to electrical demands.
The river was very muddy on Monday and extremely high in the lower river due to runoff.  They began generation on Tuesday and the river was clearing down to John’s Pocket.  By today the water was slowly clearing as far as Libby Shoal with muddy water appearing with the rise from generation and clearing as the water was falling.  Hopefully by the weekend we’ll see more clearing water since the inflow from the creeks should be better and there will probably be generation, depending on the level of the White River. 

Good Fishing!!