Raleigh lowers Lake Johnson water levels ahead of heavy rainfall
The City of Raleigh plans to lower water levels at Lake Johnson on Thursday in preparation for potentially heavy rainfall forecast for Saturday and Tuesday.
Lake Johnson is a popular hiking and boating location not far from downtown Raleigh.
The city's storm water team has already started lowering the lake, according to Julia Milstead with the City of Raleigh.
"Our current plan is to continue lowering until Friday," she said. "That would potentially allow the lake to lower around two feet."
On Thursday afternoon, the lake level was roughly 342 feet, which was down about a foot from earlier in the week. It allows the city to store more water in the lake and alleviate flooding concerns along Walnut Creek.
The weather was cool and sunny Thursday, but that will change soon. Multiple rain systems are expected to dump up to four inches of rainfall, starting Saturday with "rain all day," according to WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. Then again on Tuesday, when more rain is expected.
Milstead says they'll be tracking the forecast for the next few days ahead of rain events, and they will adjust lake lowering as needed.
Ethan Clark, meteorologist for the City of Raleigh and intern for WRAL News shared a video of the water on Twitter. He said lowering the lake allows the city to store more water in the lake, and helps reduce flooding concerns along Walnut Creek.
