Flooding in North Georgia leaves town damaged and almost without water

Crews are cleaning up muddy streets and residents and businesses are without water after thunderstorms across North Georgia on Saturday night led to heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

Local officials in McCaysville, which sits at the Georgia-Tennessee border, have declared a state of emergency after the downpours flooded the town and damaged the water treatment plant, causing a shortage of drinking water.

Drainage issues stemming from the Georgia Department of Transportation road widening project may have contributed to the floodwaters streaming into small businesses and storefronts downtown, officials said in social media posts.

“Our downtown area has experienced significant flooding, not from the river, but due to major drainage issues associated with the ongoing State Highway 5 road construction,” Michael Earley, the city’s public safety director and police chief, posted to Facebook on Saturday night. “Please avoid the downtown area and use alternate routes until the roadway can be safely reopened.”

The Georgia Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to questions about the drainage issues and any ongoing mitigation efforts. McCaysville Mayor Terry Arp said in a post that the city is working closely with state leaders to resolve the emergency.

The city and the surrounding area were under a flash flood warning from the National Weather Service late Saturday night until 5:30 a.m. Sunday. Fannin County firefighters urged residents to “use 911 sparingly” because the damage to roads made getting around the city difficult.

“Many roads in and around the area are not passable,” the fire department posted on Facebook. “Our crews have been out all night with our mutual aid partners rescuing people that became trapped in their homes.”

The flooding also caused the power to go out at the city’s water treatment plant, and damage to the plant led to “major leaks” of treated water, prompting a conservation notice for the area’s water customers to stop using water, Earley said in a post in the early hours Sunday morning.

“Until power is fully restored and the system is stabilized, it is critical that everyone conserve water,” the post says.

McCaysville sits along the Tennessee border, near the North Carolina border, and has a population of just over 1,000 people. The Toccoa River flows through the downtown and connects the city with its “sister city” across the border — Copperhill, Tennessee.

Copperhill is also limiting water use, has several roads closed and is dealing with flood damage of its own, the city posted online.

Arp assured residents Sunday that the city is working closely with neighboring jurisdictions to address the situation.

“To our merchants and residents, please know that we have been in constant contact with GDOT and other state and local government officials, making our concerns and frustrations with this situation very clear,” Arp said in the Facebook post. “This is unacceptable, and we will continue pressing for answers and action until this issue is resolved.”