CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Over 100 people are now confirmed dead from those devastating floods in Central Texas.
Some areas saw over 20 inches of rain.
Back here at home, many still have fresh memories of the devastation left just to our east by Hurricane Helene.
Now we are asking, what is our threat level here in the Tennessee Valley?
Once upon a time, downtown Chattanooga had to be raised by 10 feet after a devastating flood in 18-67.
Subsequent efforts by both the TVA and local officials have given us some flood control.
However, if over 20 inches of rain dropped in one night, we would all have to contend with a catastrophe.
Hamilton County Director of Emergency Management, Chris Adams, said, “Everything that is blue would be flooded and if you zoom in, it’s almost blocked every road around our county.”
The nightmare scenario.
22 inches of rain at once on saturated ground similar to Helene causing flooding both in traditional flood zones and areas most wouldn’t expect.
This is the conclusion of an AI program that simulates what certain amounts of rainfall will do to our area.
Adams said, “We can take and put in how many inches we want to do and see where it’s going to affect in the low areas. The problem we have is that you may be safe right then, but you may not be able to get out or no one get to you. Then the question becomes how do we get medicine and help to people.”
The record one day rainfall amount for Chattanooga is nine and a half inches of rain on September 5, 2011, during the passage of Tropical Storm Lee.
Some towns saw over a foot of rain from that storm, leading to widespread flooding we documented at the time.
More recently, portions of Chattanooga saw a dramatic flash flooding event on the evening of May 2 with over five inches of rain, leading to multiple cars being stranded and businesses being inundated.
They point to this as an example of how quickly flash flooding can happen.
Adams said, “One storm drain can cause it to back up and flash flood, but just the nature of all of the concrete that isn’t permeable there and nothing can drain through, it’s going to hold more water when you get that much really quick.”
Especially of concern are waterways that come off of our local mountains into the valleys such as the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge which recently suffered a flash flooding event that led to the death of one person.
Adams said, “When people say, “Well I live on the mountain, it’s not going to flood.” Well I say if it rains, it can flood. So you can have a flash flood anywhere, and you may live on a hill, the hydraulic power of water, that hill, we saw it in Unicoi, that hill’s washed away. That house that was on the hill has been washed away into a drainage ditch basically.”
They advise that preparedness is the key to surviving any flash flood.
Having a weather radio, knowledge of the forecast, and an evacuation plan are all things that can save your life.
You can also sign up for emergency alerts through the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management.
