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UPDATED Thursday at 3:00 a.m.
The University of West Georgia was open Tuesday and classes were held. Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna asked faculty members to take into consideration individual circumstances due to localized flooding and closed roads. There were 19 roads in Carroll County that were closed or severely damaged. The City of Carrollton is not under a boil water advisory at this time. However, some areas of Carroll County are.
Record setting rainfall and storms in the early morning hours of September 21, estimated by the National Weather Service to have exceeded 10-inches over a 12-hour time period, resulted in numerous water and sewer service disruptions according to Carroll County Water Authority officials. Impacted areas include the Sandhill, Fairfield Plantation, Whitesburg, Roopville and Tyus areas of south and southeastern Carroll County. Residents of these areas are advised to heat water to a rolling boil for at least five minutes prior to drinking until further notice.
I-20 was closed at the bridge over Sweetwater Creek because of rising water. Drivers were detoured onto Thornton Road. Officials from the Georgia Department of Transportation said I-20 will remain closed until the water in Sweetwater Creek recedes and crews inspect the bridge.
Authority officials reported at least fifteen waterline breaks affecting approximately 3,000 customers in water mains ranging in size from 2-inch to 12-inch as roadways and bridges above the pipelines were washed out by rushing floodwaters. Numerous sewer lines were also reported to have been breached in Fairfield Plantation.
Submerged sewer manholes and broken sewer pipelines also resulted in exceptionally high flow rates at the Fairfield Plantation Wastewater Treatment Plant, causing the facility’s waste stabilization pond to overflow into Crawfish Creek. The high flow rates resulted in an undetermined discharge of diluted and partially treated wastewater into the creek. State regulatory officials will most likely classify this wastewater discharge as a major spill.
Water Authority crews were dispatched to begin repairing flood damaged infrastructure as early as 4:30 a.m. while the storm raged on. Local pipeline contractors have also been hired to supplement Authority crews and expedite repairs. Some repairs, however, will not be completed for several days until after the floodwaters crested and recede.
Flooding at UWG
Carrollton as well as the rest of Metro Atlanta were in the midst of flash flood warnings on Monday and early Tuesday. The water from the Little Tallapoosa River near The Grove Apartments rose rapidly to the surface streets. Evacuations orders were issued to residents of The Grove Apartments and Riverplace Apartments, Anyone who was displaced was relocated to Arbor Place Building A and the East Carrollton Recreational Center.
The City of Carrollton was notified of possible flood occurrences at around 3:30 a.m. on Monday. Schools were closed throughout Carroll County, but the University of West Georgia did not cancel class until about 5:00 p.m. Monday evening.
Residents of the Grove, Riveplace, and River's Edge apartment complexes stood outside along the roads watching as parking lost become submerged under water. Residents were then advised to move out the area or at least relocate their cars to Riverplace, which is built at a higher elevation.
“There really needs to be some sort of an evacuation plan for off-campus apartment residents. All that I was told was to move my car so it wouldn’t get damaged and stay indoors once I found a place to stay,” said Shardae Holmes, a Grove resident.
Students are frantic and confused about the flooding situation and the proper precautions to take. Information is not being disseminated quickly enough to a mass number of people. There isn’t any updated information on the UWG portal or the UWG website.
“They want us to evacuate, but I don’t know where to go. I don’t know anyone in any other apartments to stay with,” said a resident from the Grove.
In the midst of the confusion, the office at Riverplace Apartments closed 4 hours early at 5:30pm because of the severe weather despite that their residents and residents from the Grove had relocated to their property. There was no one to talk to for a comment.
The UWG apartment shuttle made its last round of pick-up dropping students off at The Grove at about 5:30pm. To avoid possible water damage to the shuttles, the apartment shuttle let students off outside of The Grove.
The river floods at 9 feet. The water level on Monday was at 20 feet and still rising as evening approached.
“The water level at the Little Talapoosa River is higher than what it is ever been in history and conditions are very severe. People should take immediate precaution,” confirmed Don North, Superintendent of the Water Treatment Department of the City of Carrollton.
A flyer that was sent around the Greek Village encouraged everyone to stay inside as advised by the Carroll County Emergency Management.
The river’s water level can be monitored on the U.S. Geological Survey website, www.usgs.gov. Search “real-time water date for the Little Tallapoosa River”.
The water level was so high that the scale on the website needed to be re-calibrated to accommodate the most recent water levels.
Currently, there are about 19 streets in the Carroll County area that are blocked off. Both entrances from Lovvorn Road to the Grove and Riverplace have been heavily monitored. The entrance from the stadium, out of Carrollton city jurisdiction, was completely blocked off as of Monday night. The City of Carrollton Police prohibited drivers from coming into the area from the top of Lovvorn Road until late Tuesday morning. They encouraged residents to leave and not return until further notice.
“The bridge is a major concern right now. The pressure from the water along with cars moving in and out may cause the bridge to collapse. If that happens, the bridge may not be repaired for months,” said City of Carrollton Police Sergeant Falls. "Students can stay at their own risk; but if I was their parent, I would advise them to leave."
For more information, stay tuned to the local news stations and call the University Police at (678) 839-6000. If you are in need of shelter, call the University Police for on-campus housing or the East Carroll Recreational Center at (770) 834-1127 located 410 North Lake Drive Carrollton, Ga. As always, in case of an emergency dial 911.
Precautionary/preparedness actions
A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding or flash flooding based on current forecasts, Especially along streams, creeks and rivers.
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop or worsen.
Check back here or at http://www.westga.edu for more details.
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