2009 Georgia (U.S. state) floods
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Southeastern United States floods were a group of flood
s that affected several counties throughout northern Georgia
, Tennessee
, Alabama
, Mississippi
and Arkansas
. Some of the worst flooding took place most around the Atlanta
metropolitan area
. Continuous rain
, spawned by moisture pulled from the Gulf of Mexico
, fell faster than the local watersheds
could drain the runoff.
Initial damages
from around the state
were estimated at $250 million. On September 26, Georgia
Insurance Commissioner
John Oxendine
raised the estimated cost to $500 million with the potential for it to rise. 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.
The floods were historic, breaking records that went back more than a century in some locations. The Chattahoochee River
, the largest river in the region, measured water levels at a 500-year flood level.
reporting only 0.04 inches that day at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
. Additional rain fell throughout the week, with only a trace amount recorded for September 18. However, a large rain event began to inundate the area on September 19. The official NWS monitoring station at the Atlanta airport recorded 3.7 inches (94 mm) of rainfall from daybreak to 8pm (more than doubling the previous record for rainfall on that date), while outlying monitoring stations recorded 5 inches (127 mm) of rainfall in a 13-hour period. Flooding began in one neighborhood that day, with the remainder of the area placed under a flash flood watch for the rest of the weekend.
d by boat
from their homes, and at least ten people died, mostly in their cars by driving where water crossed the road, which motorists were repeatedly warned against on local radio and TV. The American Red Cross
started emergency shelter
s in each county affected by the floods. Most Atlanta area school district
s were closed September 21, due to floodwaters and the difficulty for school bus
es to get around the hundreds of closed roads.
, and would have surpassed its 1916 record were it not for the dam
built in the 1940s. Along the river in both Vinings and Roswell
, a one percent chance exceedence (100-year flood
) level was measured.
Peachtree Creek
topped its stream gauge
and the bridge itself at Northside Drive, but remained just below its 1916 record. Nancy Creek
, however, did reach a record level, destroying the Peachtree-Dunwoody Road bridge. Peachtree-Dunwood Road bridge reopened March 23, 2010. Both Peachtree Creek and Nancy Creek are tributaries of the Chattahoochee River.
The western side of the Interstate 285
beltway crosses the Chattahoochee River. This section of the interstate was completely underwater for several days. Many of the roller coasters and rides at Six Flags Over Georgia
were partly underwater, with at least 80% of The Great American Scream Machine
submerged by the Chattahoochee River
.
Located along the Chattahoochee River in west Atlanta, the R.M. Clayton sewage treatment
plant, the largest in the Southeastern U.S., was swamped with four feet of water as the river rose by twelve additional feet. Millions of gallons of untreated sewage were released into the rising waters. Other plants in Cobb and Gwinnett counties experienced similar spills. Also located near the Chattahoochee, a Kellogg Company
food plant was flooded, resulting in the closure of the plant and a subsequent national shortage of waffles.
rose quickly, while Lake Allatoona
soared to more than ten feet or three meters over full pool, using its flood
reserve capacity for the first time after years of the 2006-2009 Southeastern U.S. drought. Lake Allatoona reached its highest level
since 1990.
rose to its highest level ever. On September 22, The United States Geological Survey
measured the greatest flow ever recorded on Sweetwater Creek, at 28000 cuft/s. The flooding from the creek was met with water from the swollen Chattahoochee river, which blocked Interstate 20 west of Atlanta for two days. Many homes and businesses in the area were completely submerged.
was heavily blocked by Noonday Creek
, which also blocked several other roads including Georgia State Route 92
. The Little River
also caused major problems in the same area, blocking the original parallel route of Georgia 5 (which was replaced by I-575 in the 1980s), and Arnold Mill Road, north and east of Woodstock
. Commuters
trying to get back home to Cherokee county
found it took hours due to the numerous road closures and unmarked detour
s, extending the September 21, 2009 rush hour
until after 9:00pm as people sat in gridlocked traffic
.
in Cobb County received significant flooding on several parts of campus
including the east parking deck. Several buildings and dormitories along Campus Loop Drive were flooded from a nearby creek and lake. Water rushing into the Social Science building
reportedly rose up to the bottom of the hand-rail of the first floor stairs. Classes were cancelled at 1:00pm on Monday, September 21 for the remainder of the day and again on September 22 and 23 while damage was assessed and clean-up began.
Pope High School
was surrounded by water, which receded in time to let the students leave. Clarkdale Elementary School was flooded to the roof. Students were evacuated
early September 21, while waters were ankle-deep. The Cobb County School District
, wary of rising waters, let middle school
students leave before elementary and high schools. Though because of heavy rainfall in Legacy park 3 buses had to return to Awtrey Middle School. Powder Springs Park and parts of Brownsville Road was completely submerged by floodwaters.
, a section where Interstate 75
and Interstate 85
run concurrent with each other and one of Georgia's busiest expressways, was submerged by the floodwaters. Several cars were swept into the water before police could redirect traffic.
, declared a state of emergency
, and requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. government for 17 counties in Georgia. The counties were Bartow
, Carroll
, Cherokee
, Cobb
, Coweta
, DeKalb
, Douglas
, Fulton
, Gwinnett
, Heard
, Newton
, Paulding
, and Rockdale
counties around Metro Atlanta, Catoosa
, Chattooga
, and Walker
counties in far northwest Georgia
and Stephens County
in northeast Georgia
. While state military
assets, including elements of the Georgia National Guard
and the Georgia State Defense Force
, were placed on a heightened state of alert immediately following Governor Perdue's declaration, there were no reports that any military personnel were fielded in significant numbers.
Beginning on September 24, President Barack Obama
approved a Federal disaster declaration for all 17 Georgia counties requested by Governor Perdue.
In the wake of these floods, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency
has made strides to increase flood preparedness in Georgia through its Ready Georgia
campaign.
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s that affected several counties throughout northern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Some of the worst flooding took place most around the Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. Continuous rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
, spawned by moisture pulled from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, fell faster than the local watersheds
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
could drain the runoff.
Initial damages
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
from around the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
were estimated at $250 million. On September 26, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Insurance Commissioner
Insurance commissioner
Insurance commissioner is an executive office in many U.S. states, some in the state cabinet. The office differs state by state:...
John Oxendine
John Oxendine
John W. Oxendine is an American politician who served four terms as Insurance Commissioner of the U.S. state of Georgia. Oxendine is of Lumbee heritage, an Indian tribe from North Carolina. A member of the Republican party, he was first elected commissioner in 1994 and was reelected in 1998,...
raised the estimated cost to $500 million with the potential for it to rise. Some 20,000 homes, businesses and other buildings received major damage and 17 Georgia counties received Federal Disaster Declarations
Disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale heavily damaged by either natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war. The population living there often...
. The flood is blamed for at least ten deaths.
The floods were historic, breaking records that went back more than a century in some locations. The Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
, the largest river in the region, measured water levels at a 500-year flood level.
Beginnings
Rain began falling on the Atlanta area on September 15, 2009, with the National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
reporting only 0.04 inches that day at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
. Additional rain fell throughout the week, with only a trace amount recorded for September 18. However, a large rain event began to inundate the area on September 19. The official NWS monitoring station at the Atlanta airport recorded 3.7 inches (94 mm) of rainfall from daybreak to 8pm (more than doubling the previous record for rainfall on that date), while outlying monitoring stations recorded 5 inches (127 mm) of rainfall in a 13-hour period. Flooding began in one neighborhood that day, with the remainder of the area placed under a flash flood watch for the rest of the weekend.
Effects
Hundreds of people were rescueRescue
Rescue refers to responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or prevention of injury during an incident or dangerous situation....
d by boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
from their homes, and at least ten people died, mostly in their cars by driving where water crossed the road, which motorists were repeatedly warned against on local radio and TV. The American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
started emergency shelter
Emergency shelter
Emergency shelters are places for people to live temporarily when they can't live in their previous residence, similar to homeless shelters. The main difference is that an emergency shelter typically specializes in people fleeing a specific type of situation, such as natural or man-made disasters,...
s in each county affected by the floods. Most Atlanta area school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s were closed September 21, due to floodwaters and the difficulty for school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
es to get around the hundreds of closed roads.
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee rose to the highest levels since Buford Dam was built. Water levels along the river rose over the 0.2 percent chance exceedence (500-year) flood at the gage location. The River reached its second-highest level ever in Vinings at Paces Ferry RoadPace's Ferry
Through much of the 19th century, Pace's Ferry was an important ferry across the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta. Started in the early 1830s near Peachtree Creek, it was run by Hardy Pace, one of the city's founders...
, and would have surpassed its 1916 record were it not for the dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
built in the 1940s. Along the river in both Vinings and Roswell
Roswell, Georgia
Roswell is a city located in northern Fulton County; it is a suburb of northern Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The 2010 Census population was 88,346. It is the eighth largest city in Georgia...
, a one percent chance exceedence (100-year flood
100-year flood
A one-hundred-year flood is calculated to be the level of flood water expected to be equaled or exceeded every 100 years on average. The 100-year flood is more accurately referred to as the 1% annual exceedance probability flood, since it is a flood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded...
) level was measured.
Peachtree Creek
Peachtree Creek
Peachtree Creek is a major stream in Atlanta. It flows for almost due west into the Chattahoochee River just south of Vinings. Like other "Peachtree" names in the area, the name is most likely a corruption of "pitch tree", from the area's many pines and their sticky sap.Peachtree Creek is an...
topped its stream gauge
Stream gauge
A stream gauge, stream gage or gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water surface elevation and/or volumetric discharge are generally taken and observations of biota may also be...
and the bridge itself at Northside Drive, but remained just below its 1916 record. Nancy Creek
Nancy Creek (Atlanta)
Nancy Creek is a stream in northern Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It begins in far northern DeKalb County, just north of Chamblee, and flows southwestward into Fulton County, through the far southeast corner of Sandy Springs, then through the Buckhead area of Atlanta. It empties into...
, however, did reach a record level, destroying the Peachtree-Dunwoody Road bridge. Peachtree-Dunwood Road bridge reopened March 23, 2010. Both Peachtree Creek and Nancy Creek are tributaries of the Chattahoochee River.
The western side of the Interstate 285
Interstate 285
Interstate 285 is an Interstate Highway loop encircling Atlanta, Georgia, for . I-285 is also known as unsigned State Route 407 and is colloquially referred to as the Perimeter. Suburban sprawl has made it one of the most heavily traveled roadways in the United States, and portions of the highway...
beltway crosses the Chattahoochee River. This section of the interstate was completely underwater for several days. Many of the roller coasters and rides at Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia is a theme park located west of Atlanta, in unincorporated Cobb County. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain, after the original opening in 1961 in Texas....
were partly underwater, with at least 80% of The Great American Scream Machine
The Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Over Georgia)
Great American Scream Machine is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Georgia. The -tall ride reaches a top speed of . GASM, as it is known to park workers, was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1973 with Marvin M. Black & Sons as the contractor...
submerged by the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
.
Located along the Chattahoochee River in west Atlanta, the R.M. Clayton sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
plant, the largest in the Southeastern U.S., was swamped with four feet of water as the river rose by twelve additional feet. Millions of gallons of untreated sewage were released into the rising waters. Other plants in Cobb and Gwinnett counties experienced similar spills. Also located near the Chattahoochee, a Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
food plant was flooded, resulting in the closure of the plant and a subsequent national shortage of waffles.
Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona
Lake LanierLake Lanier
Lake Lanier is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee River. The lake encompasses of water, and of shoreline at normal level, a "full...
rose quickly, while Lake Allatoona
Lake Allatoona
Lake Allatoona is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir in Georgia, located in northwestern metro Atlanta. The lake is mostly in southwestern Cherokee County, but a significant part is in southeastern Bartow County, and a small part in Cobb County near Acworth. Cartersville is the nearest...
soared to more than ten feet or three meters over full pool, using its flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
reserve capacity for the first time after years of the 2006-2009 Southeastern U.S. drought. Lake Allatoona reached its highest level
Stage (hydrology)
In hydrology, stage refers to the water level in a river or stream with respect to a chosen reference height. Stage is important because direct measurements of river discharge are very difficult while water surface elevation measurements are comparatively easy...
since 1990.
Sweetwater Creek
On Monday, September 21, Sweetwater CreekSweetwater Creek (west of Atlanta)
Sweetwater Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Georgia, west of Atlanta. It begins in southwestern Paulding County, flowing generally eastward into southwestern Cobb County, then turning south into eastern Douglas County...
rose to its highest level ever. On September 22, The United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
measured the greatest flow ever recorded on Sweetwater Creek, at 28000 cuft/s. The flooding from the creek was met with water from the swollen Chattahoochee river, which blocked Interstate 20 west of Atlanta for two days. Many homes and businesses in the area were completely submerged.
Cherokee County
Interstate 575Interstate 575
Interstate 575 is an Interstate Highway spur route in the United States, which branches off Interstate 75 in Kennesaw and connects the metro Atlanta area with the north Georgia mountains. I-575 is also the unsigned State Route 417 and is cosigned as SR 5...
was heavily blocked by Noonday Creek
Noonday Creek
Noonday Creek is a stream in Cobb and Cherokee counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The stream begins near Kennesaw Mountain and ends at Lake Allatoona.-Geography:...
, which also blocked several other roads including Georgia State Route 92
Georgia State Route 92
State Route 92 is a highway in the U.S. state of Georgia. The road runs for from Griffin to Roswell. Primarily signed from south to north, Route 92 is a rural route that passes through three county seats.- Route description :...
. The Little River
Little River (northern Georgia)
The Little River is a tributary of the Etowah River in the U.S. state of Georgia in the United States.The Little River is located mostly in Cherokee County, and forms the jagged part of the Cherokee/Fulton county line, and part of the more recent Milton city limit.The river flows generally from...
also caused major problems in the same area, blocking the original parallel route of Georgia 5 (which was replaced by I-575 in the 1980s), and Arnold Mill Road, north and east of Woodstock
Woodstock, Georgia
Woodstock is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 23,896 at the 2010 census.Originally a stop on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Woodstock is now considered part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
. Commuters
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
trying to get back home to Cherokee county
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
found it took hours due to the numerous road closures and unmarked detour
Detour
Detour may refer to:* Detour, a temporary routing to avoid an obstruction-Entertainment:Literature* Detour , a 1939 novel* Detour , an entertainment and fashion magazine published by the Detour Media GroupFilm and television...
s, extending the September 21, 2009 rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
until after 9:00pm as people sat in gridlocked traffic
Gridlock
The term gridlock is defined as "A state of severe road congestion arising when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill; a traffic jam of this kind." The term originates from a situation possible in...
.
Cobb County
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
in Cobb County received significant flooding on several parts of campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
including the east parking deck. Several buildings and dormitories along Campus Loop Drive were flooded from a nearby creek and lake. Water rushing into the Social Science building
Kennesaw State University Social Sciences Building
The Kennesaw State University Social Sciences Building is the largest academic building at Kennesaw State University. The building is a . multi-use facility used mostly by the College of Humanities and Social Science...
reportedly rose up to the bottom of the hand-rail of the first floor stairs. Classes were cancelled at 1:00pm on Monday, September 21 for the remainder of the day and again on September 22 and 23 while damage was assessed and clean-up began.
Pope High School
Pope High School
Alan C. Pope High School is a public high school located north of Atlanta in East Cobb, Georgia, within unincorporated Cobb County. The school was founded in 1987 and serves approximately 1,888 students in grades 9-12. The school mascot is the greyhound, and the school colors are Carolina blue,...
was surrounded by water, which receded in time to let the students leave. Clarkdale Elementary School was flooded to the roof. Students were evacuated
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
early September 21, while waters were ankle-deep. The Cobb County School District
Cobb County School District
The Cobb County School District is the county government agency which operates public schools in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. The school district includes all of Cobb County except for the Marietta City Schools. It is the second-largest school system in Georgia and among the largest in...
, wary of rising waters, let middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
students leave before elementary and high schools. Though because of heavy rainfall in Legacy park 3 buses had to return to Awtrey Middle School. Powder Springs Park and parts of Brownsville Road was completely submerged by floodwaters.
City of Atlanta
Inside the city limits of Atlanta, several neighborhoods were underwater, including Peachtree Hills. The Downtown ConnectorDowntown Connector
In Atlanta, Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 is the concurrent section of Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 through the core of the city. Beginning at the I-85/Langford Parkway interchange, the Downtown Connector runs generally due north, meeting the east-west Interstate 20 in the middle....
, a section where Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
and Interstate 85
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
run concurrent with each other and one of Georgia's busiest expressways, was submerged by the floodwaters. Several cars were swept into the water before police could redirect traffic.
Government response
The governor of Georgia, Sonny PerdueSonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
, declared a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
, and requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. government for 17 counties in Georgia. The counties were Bartow
Bartow County, Georgia
Bartow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 100,157. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's July 1, 2009 estimate, the county's explosive growth resulted in a population of 96,217, a 26.5% increase in less than ten years...
, Carroll
Carroll County, Georgia
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 87,268. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 111,954...
, Cherokee
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
, Cobb
Cobb County, Georgia
Cobb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta, which is located in the center of the county. The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, who in the early 19th century was a United States representative and senator from Georgia...
, Coweta
Coweta County, Georgia
Coweta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 89,215. The 2009 Census Estimate placed the population at 131,936...
, DeKalb
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
, Douglas
Douglas County, Georgia
Douglas County, Georgia has been experiencing numerous natural disasters over the most recent decades. Being located in the South Eastern United States the county experiences strong storms and tornadoes often because of its location in Dixie Alley....
, Fulton
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, Gwinnett
Gwinnett County, Georgia
, Gwinnett County had a population of 805,321. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% white , 23.6% black , 2.7% Korean, 2.6% Asian Indian, 2.0% Vietnamese, 3.3% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.8% some other race and 3.1% from two or more races...
, Heard
Heard County, Georgia
Heard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1830. As of 2000, the population was 11,012. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 11,387...
, Newton
Newton County, Georgia
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 62,001. The 2010 Census showed a population of 99,958. The county seat is Covington....
, Paulding
Paulding County, Georgia
Paulding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 142,324. The county seat is Dallas....
, and Rockdale
Rockdale County, Georgia
Rockdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 70,111. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 82,052. Two years later, the population was 84,569. The county seat is Conyers.-Geography:...
counties around Metro Atlanta, Catoosa
Catoosa County, Georgia
Catoosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 5, 1853. As of 2000, the population was 53,282. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 62,241...
, Chattooga
Chattooga County, Georgia
Chattooga County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 28, 1838. As of 2000, the population was 25,470. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 26,797. The county seat is Summerville.-Geography:...
, and Walker
Walker County, Georgia
Walker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 18, 1833 from land formerly belonging to the Cherokee Indian Nation. As of 2000, the population was 61,053. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 64,554...
counties in far northwest Georgia
Northwest Georgia
Northwest Georgia includes the counties of:*Dade County*Walker County*Catoosa County*Whitfield County*Murray County*Gordon County*Chattooga County*Floyd County*Bartow County*Paulding County*Polk County*Haralson County...
and Stephens County
Stephens County, Georgia
Stephens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 26,175. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 25,268. The county seat is Toccoa.-History:...
in northeast Georgia
North Georgia mountains
The Georgia Mountains Region or North Georgia mountains or Northeast Georgia is an area that starts in the northeast corner of Georgia, United States, and spreads in a westerly direction. The mountains in this region are in the Blue Ridge mountain chain that ends in Georgia...
. While state military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
assets, including elements of the Georgia National Guard
Georgia National Guard
The Georgia National Guard is the National Guard of the U.S state of Georgia consists of the Georgia Army National Guard and the Georgia Air National Guard...
and the Georgia State Defense Force
Georgia State Defense Force
The Georgia State Defense Force is a military unit of the Georgia Department of Defense, serving in support of the national and state constitutions under direction of the governor and the adjutant general of the U.S. state of Georgia...
, were placed on a heightened state of alert immediately following Governor Perdue's declaration, there were no reports that any military personnel were fielded in significant numbers.
Beginning on September 24, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
approved a Federal disaster declaration for all 17 Georgia counties requested by Governor Perdue.
In the wake of these floods, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency
Georgia Emergency Management Agency
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency or GEMA is the emergency management agency for the U.S. state of Georgia. Its function is similar to that of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in preparing for and responding to disasters, and mitigating potential hazards....
has made strides to increase flood preparedness in Georgia through its Ready Georgia
Ready Georgia
Ready Georgia is a statewide emergency preparedness campaign in the U.S. state of Georgia instituted by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Governor Sonny Perdue in conjunction with the national Ready America campaign sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency...
campaign.