I'm thinking about areas to move to.  One is Paducah. I always thought the Kentucky Dam (the one by "Land Between the Lakes") flowed south towards the Gulf and just learned it flows towards Paducah.  If that dam fails, what would happen to Paducah?  Has anyone see any projections about what would happen?  It makes me think twice and three times about relocating there.  Between our friends in the "Religion of Peace" and the earthquake faults down there, I don't know if I'm to keen on the area any more.  Thoughts? Has anyone who lives around Paducah looked into this?

Right now, my brain is fried trying to imagine how that original situation you described would work.    I have even introduced magnets into the equation and still could not fathom the original idea.   There is no way I could ever imagine that.  I tried flipping the Earth on its Polar axis and that still did not work.    That there is one dang big magnet I introduced into the calculations.  

However, I would say that if that is what you originally thought, I would certainly understand how you could have your current concerns... along with living anywhere in any coastal state, whether west or east cost.    I would suggest the mountains of Colorado.

For the record, the "Land Between the Lakes"  is between Lake Barkley, formed by the Cumberland River flowing East to West and Kentucky Lake formed by the Tennessee River, also flowing East to West.    Both rivers flow South and North at times.   Such is most prevalent with the Tennessee River.    Nevertheless, the two rivers begin in the eastern mountain region known as the  Appalachian Mountains and flow westward toward the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and regional drainage basin.

Let's say the New Madrid goes off again.  The dam fails.  Wouldn't the water head straight for Paducah?  I bet some government agency or college out there has studied it.

If the New Madrid lets go, all bets are off anyway.

It is winter, so I'm doing a lot of reading.  Wow, realizing and trying to guess, in modern terms, what happened in 1812 and what could happen now!  As big as that thing is I don't see any terrorist bringing it down, but I could see the fault doing it.  Either was either the History Channel or National Geo that did a one-hour special on it.  I taped it and it is interesting.

Why would the water head straight to Paducah?


IF  the fault destroyed the damns, it is just as likely it would also open up an entirely new path to... where ever the fault line runs.

Impact of New Madrid Seismic Zone Earthquakes on the Central USA, Vol. 1 and 2


New Madrid Zone 7.7 Magnitude FEMA Report

Thanks, Dracster.  I'll look these over.  The dam failing and wiping out Paducah sounds like a horror movie.

Excellent point!  I never thought of that variable.

If the Dam fails it already has a channel to follow, the Tennessee river.  Paducah kiss your ass good bye.

OP, just to be safe, you better stay where you are!