Footage of the Tennessee River on February 24th, 2019. The river was set to reach its second-highest level in its history at 31 feet. Flood level is 18 feet. Water is passing through the dam at about 3.5 million gallons of water per second and was expected to increase. Weather service records have the highest crest in the history in the river's history at 32.5 feet on March 19, 1897. On March 17, 1973 the river reached its second-highest level at 30.03 feet.