The Epic Floods of 2009
Updated Crest Table February 23, 2010
The Epic Floods of 2009, affected several counties in north Georgia, most of them in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area. Continuous rain, spawned by moisture pulled from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, fell faster than the local watersheds could handle.
Rain began falling across northern Georgia and the Atlanta area on September 15, 2009, with the National Weather Service reporting only 0.04 inches that day at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Additional rain fell throughout the week with the heavier rain beginning on the 17th. A large rain event began to inundate the area on September 19th and the National Weather Service observing station at the Atlanta airport recorded 3.70 inches of rain from daybreak to 8 p.m. This more than doubled the previous record for rainfall on that date, while outlying observing stations recorded 5 inches of rainfall in a 13-hour period. Multisensor rainfall estimates from the Southeast River Forecast Center indicated a narrow band of extreme rain around 20 inches for the six-day event.
Initial damages from around the state were estimated at $250 million but are expected to be closer to $300 million with the potential for it to rise higher. Some 20,000 homes, businesses and other buildings received major damage and 17 Georgia counties received Federal Disaster Declarations. The flood is blamed for at least ten deaths, and the majority of these people were in their cars and driving where water crossed the road. Hundreds of people were rescued by boat from their homes and neighborhoods.
These floods were historic, breaking records that go back as far as 1919. Twenty-eight new record high flood levels were established, due to high water inundating the river gages at these sites. In addition to these 28 gage locations, there were 7 other gages that will be included in the top five lists of all-time highest water levels.
The Sweetwater Creek Basin rose to the 500-year flood level during this event. This means there is a 0.2 percent chance of a flood of this magnitude occurring in a year. The Chattahoochee River and many of its tributaries reached the 100-year flood level which is a 1 percent chance of occurrence any given year.
Heights & Dates September 2009 *** = third highest gauage reading **** = 4th highest gauage reading. |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| New England | Lookout Creek | 12 | From 9/21 8:10am to 9/22 12:50pm | 15.01 | 9/22 3:15am |
| Consauga River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Keiths Mill near Dalton | Coahulla Creek | 16 | From 9/21 11:57am to 9/24 5:11am From 9/26 2:23pm to 9/29 4:00pm |
20.03 20.59 |
9/22 6:30am 9/28 2:30pm |
| Eton | 12 | From 9/22 7:15am to 9/22 7:30pm From 9/26 6:30pm to 9/28 2:18pm |
12.14 15.34 |
9/22 2:15pm 9/27 7:45pm |
| Tilton | 18 | From 9/26 8:30pm to 9/26 10:39pm From 9/28 7:10am to 9/30 4:00am |
18.05 19.63 |
9/26 9:45pm 9/29 10:00am |
| Chattooga River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Summerville | 14 | From 9/21 9:04am to 9/22 10:36pm | 21.19** | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Etowah River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Dawsonville | 13 | From 9/20 8:37pm to 9/20 9:46pm From 9/21 2:40pm to 9/22 6:59am |
13.01 14.56 |
9/20 8:45pm 9/21 7:45pm |
| Free Home | Settingdown Creek | 13 | From 9/21 4:41pm to 9/22 8:20am | 14.23 | 9/22 5:45am |
| Ballground | Sharp Mountain Creek | 18 | From 9/21 9:25pm to 9/21 9:35pm | 18.00 | 9/21 9:30pm |
| Canton | 16 | From 9/21 12:03pm to 9/23 2:55am | 20.73 | 9/22 8:30am |
| Woodstock | Little River | 11 | From 9/21 7:05am to 9/23 4:06am | 20.80 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Woodstock | Noonday Creek | 10 | From 9/21 4:45am to 9/22 7:07am | 19.66 | 9/21 5:30pm |
| Blackwells | Noonday Creek | 11 | From 9/21 12:02pm to 9/21 6:40pm | 17.31 | 9/21 5:30pm |
| Kennesaw | Butler Creek | 12 | Unknown to Unknown | 14.27 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Mars Hill | Allatoona Creek | 13 | From 9/20 2:07pm to 9/20 4:47pm From 9/20 9:35pm to 9/21 7:02am From 9/21 8:30am to 9/22 10:03am From 9/26 5:00pm to 9/26 6:00pm |
13.40 14.73 23.90 13.09 |
9/20 3:30pm 9/21 4:30am 9/22 3:00pm 9/26 5:30pm |
| Cartersville | 18 | From 9/21 7:20pm to 9/22 9:24am | 20.73 | 9/22 2:00am |
| Plant Hammond - Coosa River | 570 | From 9/23 5:00am to 9/23 12:45pm | 570.60 | 9/23 7:00am |
| Chattahoochee River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Suwanee | Level Creek | 9 | From 9/21 4:21pm to 9/21 7:38pm | 11.60 | 9/21 5:30pm |
| Suwanee | Suwanee Creek | 8 | From 9/21 7:33am to 9/22 4:16pm | 14.30 | 9/21 6:45pm |
| Suwanee | Dick Creek | 10 | Unknown to Unknown | 11.72 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Cumming | Big Creek | 10 | From 9/21 7:54pm to 9/22 12:36pm | 10.43 | 9/22 10:15pm |
| Alpharetta | Big Creek | 7 | From 9/17 4:30pm to 9/17 7:22pm From 9/20 8:42pm to 9/23 6:26pm |
7.17 11.94 |
9/17 5:30pm 9/22 UNKNOWN |
| Roswell | Big Creek | 12 | From 9/21 9:47pm to 9/23 9:33am | 15.41 | 9/22 6:30pm |
| Norcross | 12 | From 9/21 5:21pm to 9/22 4:34am | 14.51 | 9/21 10:00pm |
| Norcross | Crooked Creek | 11 | From 9/21 3:06am to 9/21 10:03am From 9/21 3:36pm to 9/22 4:20am |
13.69 14.59 |
9/21 6:15am 9/21 6:15pm |
| Norcross | Willeo Creek | 12 | From 9/21 3:09am to 9/22 8:23pm | 14.70 | 9/21 5:30pm |
| Marietta | Sewell Mill Creek | 12 | From 9/21 2:39pm to 9/21 5:46pm | 13.26 | 9/21 4:15pm |
| Marietta | Sope Creek | 12 | From 9/21 2:38am to 9/21 9:26am From 9/21 2:08pm to 9/21 10:17pm |
15.33 18.35 |
9/21 7:00am 9/21 6:15pm |
| Mableton | Nickajack Creek | 10 | From 9/20 12:38pm to 9/20 3:04pm From 9/21 5:04am to 9/23 10:48am From 9/26 7:48pm to 9/26 11:28pm |
10.55 19.85 11.10 |
9/20 2:00pm 9/22 7:00am 9/26 9:15pm |
| Doraville | North Fork Peachtree Creek | 12 | From 9/21 4:05pm to 9/21 4:35pm | 12.93 | 9/21 4:15pm |
| Atlanta | North Fork Peachtree Creek | 12 | From 9/16 8:02pm to 9/16 11:31pm From 9/21 2:02am to 9/22 3:01pm From 9/26 7:09pm to 9/26 7:48pm |
13.51 18.57 12.08 |
9/16 9:30pm 9/21 9:15am 9/26 7:15pm |
| Atlanta | South Fork Peachtree Creek | 12 | From 9/16 7:27pm to 9/17 12:45am From 9/17 8:53pm to 9/18 9:38pm From 9/21 1:28am to 9/21 2:13pm From 9/21 4:05pm to 9/21 11:43pm |
13.53 12.36 14.13 15.21*** |
9/16 9:00pm 9/17 9:00pm 9/21 11:45am 9/21 5:45pm |
| Atlanta | Peachtree Creek | 17 | From 9/21 3:53am to 9/22 6:02am | 23.89** | 9/21 9:15pm |
| Atlanta | Nancy Creek Rickenbacker Drive | 11 | From 9/21 4:44am to 9/21 12:12pm From 9/21 4:08pm to 9/22 12:32am |
13.03 14.69**** |
9/21 9:45am 9/21 9:30pm |
| Atlanta | Nancy Creek West Wesley Drive | 17 | From 9/21 10:02am to Unknown | 25.46 | 9/22 UNKNOWN |
| Atlanta | Woodall Creek | 15 | From 9/21 7:18am to 9/22 3:33pm | 23.61 | 9/22 1:00am |
| Atlanta | Proctor Creek | 13 | From 9/21 6:24am to 9/21 8:31am From 9/21 4:36pm to 9/21 6:48pm |
14.93 13.72 |
9/21 7:45am 9/21 5:45pm |
| Atlanta | Utoy Creek | 18 | From 9/21 2:54pm to 9/23 3:51pm | 27.89 | 9/22 9:45am |
| Atlanta |Morgan Falls Dam Tailwater | 822 | From 9/21 7:05am to 9/21 11:48am From 9/21 2:41pm to 9/22 12:04pm |
822.59 827.01 |
9/21 9:15am 9/21 8:00pm |
| Vinings at U.S. Highway 41 | 14 | From 9/21 3:46am to 9/23 6:57am | 28.59 | 9/22 12:30am |
| Vinings at Paces Ferry Road | 14 | From 9/21 5:01am to 9/23 10:09am | 28.10** | 9/21 10:30pm |
| Atlanta at U.S.Highway 280 | 24 | From 9/21 7:13am to 9/24 3:08am | 35.98 | 9/22 UNKNOWN |
| Campbellton | Fairburn | 20 | From 9/21 5:19am to 9/24 9:38am | 30.65** | 9/22 2:59pm |
| Whitesburg | 15 | From 9/21 3:15am to 9/25 7:23am | 29.84 | 9/23 8:30pm |
| Franklin | 23 | From 9/21 2:45pm to 9/25 3:48pm | 30.55 | 9/23 9:00pm |
| West Point | 17 | From 9/23 2:00pm to 9/26 6:11am | 18.92 | 9/25 9:15am |
| Powder Springs | Powder Springs Creek | 12 | From 9/21 12:26am to 9/22 5:42pm | 19.82 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Powder Springs | Noses Creek | 11 | From 9/21 1:45am to Unknown | 23.20 | 9/22 UNKNOWN |
| Austell | Olley Creek | 12 | From 9/21 9:23am to Unknown | 27.40 | 9/22 UNKNOWN |
| Powder Springs | Sweet Water Creek | 13 | From 9/20 10:33pm to Unknown | 31.45 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Austell | Sweet Water Creek | 10 | From 9/21 2:57am to 9/25 1:28pm | 30.80 | 9/22 UNKNOWN |
| Fairplay | Dog River | 13 | From 9/20 10:22pm to Unknown | 33.80 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Whitesburg | Snake Creek Reservoir | 13 | From 9/21 5:11am to 9/21 1:31pm | 16.99 | 9/21 7:15am |
| Whitesburg | Snake Creek | 12 | From 9/21 4:35am to Unknown | 17.30 | High Water Mark Survey |
| Bowden | Little Tallapoosa River | 18 | From 9/22 11:21am to 9/23 9:00am | 18.48 | 9/22 7:30pm |
| Ocmulgee River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Lawrenceville | Pew Creek | 11 | From 9/21 4:18am to 9/21 11:28am From 9/21 4:15pm to 9/21 9:42pm |
16.69 15.00 |
9/21 6:45am 9/21 6:15pm |
| Lithonia | Yellow River at Georgia Highway 124 | 15 | From 9/21 5:30am to 9/23 9:15am | 27.47 | 9/21 UNKNOWN |
| Lithonia | Yellow River at Pleasant Hill Road | 13 | From 9/21 4:30am to 9/23 5:28pm | 25.54 | 9/22 6:00 am |
| Conyers Below Milstead | 11 | From 9/18 12:45pm to 9/18 2:12pm From 9/18 8:00pm to 9/20 10:35am From 9/21 11:17am to 9/24 8:10am |
11.08 11.47 22.54 |
9/18 2:00pm 9/19 2:15am 9/22 5:30pm |
| Milstead | Big Haynes Creek | 12 | From 9/21 8:17pm to 9/24 7:47am | 22.46 | 9/22 8:30pm |
| Lawrenceville | Shoal Creek | 11 | From 9/21 4:59pm to 9/21 8:49pm | 13.12 | 9/21 7:45pm |
| Lawrenceville | Alcovy River | 9 | From 9/16 12:05pm to 9/16 2:30pm From 9/21 8:23am to 9/22 5:00am |
9.70 13.87 |
9/16 1:45pm 9/21 10:15pm |
| Hapeville | South River | 15 | From 9/19 1:35pm to 9/19 5:36pm | 16.62 | 9/19 3:30pm |
| Atlanta | Entrenchment Creek | 11 | From 9/19 1:12pm to 9/19 2:19pm | 11.78 | 9/19 1:45pm |
| Lithonia | South River | 12 | From 9/21 5:37pm to 9/22 9:15am | 13.55** | 9/21 10:30pm |
| Conyers | Honey Creek | 9 | From 9/21 7:36pm to 9/22 1:31am | 9.52 | 9/21 8:30pm |
| Macon | 18 | From 9/21 11:06pm to 9/26 6:52am | 22.47 | 9/24 11:15am |
| Hawkinsville | 20 | From 9/26 5:15pm to 9/29 8:05pm | 21.85 | 9/28 6:30am |
| Abbeville | 12 | From 9/25 5:15pm to 10/03 7:26pm | 14.30 | 9/30 8:30am |
| Hawkinsville | Tucsawhatchee Creek | 11 | From 9/18 10:58pm to 9/19 8:04am From 9/22 10:42pm to 9/23 9:45pm |
11.46 14.13 |
9/19 2:15pm 9/23 4:15am |
| Oconee River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Dacula | Apalachee River | 8 | From 9/21 6:04pm to 9/21 7:18pm | 8.56 | 9/21 6:30pm |
| Arcade | Middle Oconee River | 16 | From 9/22 10:10am to 9/22 9:06pm | 16.51 | 9/22 3:45pm |
| Penfield | 11 | From 9/20 6:30pm to 9/24 9:47pm From 9/27 8:51pm to 9/28 4:21pm |
17.00 11.78 |
9/22 4:30pm 9/28 7:15am |
| Eatonton | Little River | 20 | From 9/17 11:51pm to 9/18 8:20am From 9/21 9:48pm to 9/22 8:20am |
22.40 24.70 |
9/18 4:00am 9/22 3:15am |
| Milledgeville | 27 | From 9/22 3:02am to 9/22 3:50pm | 30.83 | 9/22 10:30am |
| Avant Mine Oconee | 18 | From 9/22 7:48pm to 9/23 5:34pm | 18.64 | 9/23 3:30pm |
| Oconee | 17 | From 9/23 5:12pm to 9/26 4:37pm | 20.20 | 9/24 2:00pm |
| Flint River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Byromville | Turkey Creek | 10 | From 9/22 10:54am to 9/23 5:40am | 12.23 | 9/22 3:00pm |
| Savannah River Basin | ||||
| River & Station | Flood Stage (Feet) |
Above Flood Stages (Date)(EDT) |
Crest Stage (Feet) |
Crest Date |
| Washington | Kettle Creek | 14 | From 9/21 11:45pm to 9/22 5:05am | 16.62 | 9/22 2:00am |
| Washington | Little River | 19 | From 9/22 3:18pm to 9/23 4:47pm | 20.24 | 9/22 8:45pm |
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