Willeo Creek
Encyclopedia
Willeo Creek is a 6.7 miles (10.8 km) stream
in the U.S. state of Georgia
, and is located in the north-northwestern part of metro Atlanta
. It is a significant tributary
of the Chattahoochee River
, into which it flows at Bull Sluice Lake
, just upstream from Morgan Falls Dam and downstream from the Chattahoochee Nature Center
. Together, the two streams form nearly all of the county line between Fulton
to the east and Cobb to the west.
The stream was entirely in Cobb County through early 1932, until that county ceded the town of Roswell
to Fulton effective May 9. Prior to January 1 of that year, Roswell's neighbors were in the former county of Milton
, and this cession of everything east of the creek made the new section, now known as north Fulton, more contiguous. Only a tiny section near its headwater is still entirely in Cobb, the county line at this point running due north to become the Cherokee
/Fulton line until meeting the Little River. From this point just south of a ridge
that includes nearby Sweat Mountain
, the creek flows south-southeast, and through annexation
now also forms most of the western city limit of Roswell.
There is one USGS stream gauge
(WLOG1) on Willeo Creek, located on the Georgia 120 bridge at 34°00′10"N 84°23′40"W. This is called "near Roswell" or "2SW Roswell", being about 2 miles (3 km) southwest of the center of town, where it has a drainage basin
of 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²). Like Noonday Creek
, National Weather Service
flood warning
s are not normally issued for Willeo Creek as they are for Big Creek
or Sope Creek
. The worst known flood
ing was the historic rainfall in September 2009.
The long and narrow Gilhams Lake is on the upper portion of the mainline of the creek. There are numerous small and unnamed tributaries, though several of their lakes are named. From north to south (based on where their outflows join the creek), these are Grande Loch, Cochrans Lake, Highland Lake, Mitchell Lake, Lake Charles, Maddox Lake, Clary Lakes, Spring Lake, Bishop Lake, Princeton Lakes, Willow Point Lake, and Lake Jackson. Most of these are on the west side in far east Cobb.
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 the U.S. state of 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...
, and is located in the north-northwestern part of metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
. 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 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...
, into which it flows at Bull Sluice Lake
Bull Sluice Lake
Bull Sluice Lake is a small reservoir located along the Chattahoochee River in northern Georgia, in the northern suburbs of metro Atlanta. It is , and is impounded by Morgan Falls Dam. Besides the hydroelectric power produced by the dam, the lake's primary use is recreation, including fishing and...
, just upstream from Morgan Falls Dam and downstream from the Chattahoochee Nature Center
Chattahoochee Nature Center
The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a private, non-profit environmental education facility in Roswell, Georgia. Located on adjacent to the Chattahoochee River, the nature center focuses on educational outreach through the use of live flora and fauna....
. Together, the two streams form nearly all of the county line between 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...
to the east and Cobb to the west.
The stream was entirely in Cobb County through early 1932, until that county ceded the town of 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...
to Fulton effective May 9. Prior to January 1 of that year, Roswell's neighbors were in the former county of Milton
Milton County, Georgia
Milton County was a county of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1857 to 1931. It was created on December 18, 1857 from parts of northeastern Cobb, southeastern Cherokee, and southwestern Forsyth counties. The county was named for John Milton, Secretary of State of Georgia from 1777 to 1799...
, and this cession of everything east of the creek made the new section, now known as north Fulton, more contiguous. Only a tiny section near its headwater is still entirely in Cobb, the county line at this point running due north to become the 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...
/Fulton line until meeting the Little River. From this point just south of a ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
that includes nearby Sweat Mountain
Sweat Mountain
Sweat Mountain is a low mountain located in far northeastern Cobb County, Georgia, in the suburbs north of Atlanta. The exact GNIS location of its summit is , and it has an official elevation of above mean sea level...
, the creek flows south-southeast, and through annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
now also forms most of the western city limit of Roswell.
There is one 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...
(WLOG1) on Willeo Creek, located on the Georgia 120 bridge at 34°00′10"N 84°23′40"W. This is called "near Roswell" or "2SW Roswell", being about 2 miles (3 km) southwest of the center of town, where it has a drainage 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...
of 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²). Like 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:...
, National Weather Service
National 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...
flood warning
Flood warning
Flood warning is closely linked to the task of flood forecasting. The distinction between the two is that the outcome of flood forecasting is a set of forecast time-profiles of channel flows or river levels at various locations, while "flood warning" is the task of making use of these forecasts to...
s are not normally issued for Willeo Creek as they are for Big Creek
Vickery Creek
Big Creek is a stream in Forsyth and Fulton counties in Georgia. The creek mouth into the Chattahoochee River is located at the southern border of Roswell where State Route 9 crosses the river...
or Sope Creek
Sope Creek
Sope Creek is an stream located in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It is a significant tributary of the Chattahoochee River, and under high water levels it can be used for extreme whitewater kayaking...
. The worst known 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...
ing was the historic rainfall in September 2009.
The long and narrow Gilhams Lake is on the upper portion of the mainline of the creek. There are numerous small and unnamed tributaries, though several of their lakes are named. From north to south (based on where their outflows join the creek), these are Grande Loch, Cochrans Lake, Highland Lake, Mitchell Lake, Lake Charles, Maddox Lake, Clary Lakes, Spring Lake, Bishop Lake, Princeton Lakes, Willow Point Lake, and Lake Jackson. Most of these are on the west side in far east Cobb.