Noses Creek
Encyclopedia
Noses Creek is a 14.5 miles (23.3 km) stream
in Cobb County
, Georgia, USA. It is a significant tributary
of the much larger Sweetwater Creek, in turn part of the Chattahoochee River
basin
. On topographic maps, it begins between Kennesaw
and Marietta
and flows generally south-southwesterly to just northwest of Austell
. It is named for Chief
Noses, a native
Cherokee
who lived in the area in the early 19th century.
There are three named tributaries of Noses Creek. Ward Creek begins just west-southwest of Marietta's town square
and flows generally southwestward. Olley Creek begins south of the Marietta central business district
and also flows southwestward. The other significant tributary is Mud Creek, which begins just southwest of the Stilesboro
Road and Kennesaw Due West Road intersection
, and ends just southwest of Barrett Parkway
and Macland Road (Georgia 360). Barrett Parkway is carried over Ward Creek and Noses Creek and their wetland
s by a long viaduct
, the most expensive section of the new road, which was constructed from forested land in the mid 1990s.
There are two USGS stream gauge
s in the basin: Noses Creek at Powder Springs Road (NOSG1), and Olley Creek at Clay Road (OLYG1).
Massive flooding occurred with the 2009 Atlanta floods, and Noses Creek rose to double its flood stage
, along with many other streams in the area. It inundated the transmitter facility for WDWD AM 590, putting it off the air for a week while disaster recovery
specialists cleaned and dried the radio transmitter and other equipment, which was turned off just before the flood. Immediately across the creek, Clarkdale Elementary School was submerged nearly up to its roof, with students evacuated in ankle-deep water earlier in the day. The building was ruined and is awaiting demolition
, and will be rebuilt at another location, although FEMA said the original location was acceptable due to being outside the 100-year
floodplain
. The flood was considered to be of a level that would occur once in 500 to 10,000 years.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in Cobb County
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...
, Georgia, USA. It is a significant tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the much larger Sweetwater Creek, in turn part of 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...
basin
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...
. On topographic maps, it begins between Kennesaw
Kennesaw, Georgia
Kennesaw is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It had a population of 29,783 according to the 2010 census. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Founded in 1887, Kennesaw has a past surrounded with railroad history...
and Marietta
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
and flows generally south-southwesterly to just northwest of Austell
Austell, Georgia
Austell is a city in Cobb County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,581.-History:Austell used to be known as Salt Springs, and was frequented by hunters who would trap and hunt game on their way to the salt licks. Some enterprising hunters claimed...
. It is named for Chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Noses, a native
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
who lived in the area in the early 19th century.
There are three named tributaries of Noses Creek. Ward Creek begins just west-southwest of Marietta's town square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
and flows generally southwestward. Olley Creek begins south of the Marietta central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
and also flows southwestward. The other significant tributary is Mud Creek, which begins just southwest of the Stilesboro
Stilesboro, Georgia
Stilesboro is an unincorporated town in southern Bartow County, Georgia, United States.-Notes:...
Road and Kennesaw Due West Road intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
, and ends just southwest of Barrett Parkway
Barrett Parkway
Ernest W. Barrett Parkway is a major thoroughfare in northwest metro Atlanta between western and northern Cobb County, Georgia. It runs from southwest of Marietta, to the north and then northeast near Kennesaw, and continues on in both directions under other names. The portion of Barrett Parkway...
and Macland Road (Georgia 360). Barrett Parkway is carried over Ward Creek and Noses Creek and their wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s by a long viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
, the most expensive section of the new road, which was constructed from forested land in the mid 1990s.
There are two USGS 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...
s in the basin: Noses Creek at Powder Springs Road (NOSG1), and Olley Creek at Clay Road (OLYG1).
Massive flooding occurred with the 2009 Atlanta floods, and Noses Creek rose to double its flood stage
Flood stage
Flood stage is the level at which the surface of a river, creek, or other body of water has risen to a sufficient level to cause damage or affects use of man-made structures...
, along with many other streams in the area. It inundated the transmitter facility for WDWD AM 590, putting it off the air for a week while disaster recovery
Disaster recovery
Disaster recovery is the process, policies and procedures related to preparing for recovery or continuation of technology infrastructure critical to an organization after a natural or human-induced disaster. Disaster recovery is a subset of business continuity...
specialists cleaned and dried the radio transmitter and other equipment, which was turned off just before the flood. Immediately across the creek, Clarkdale Elementary School was submerged nearly up to its roof, with students evacuated in ankle-deep water earlier in the day. The building was ruined and is awaiting demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
, and will be rebuilt at another location, although FEMA said the original location was acceptable due to being outside the 100-year
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...
floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
. The flood was considered to be of a level that would occur once in 500 to 10,000 years.