Evacuations Ordered for Residents in Lake Rabun, Tallulah Falls Area

By Cindy Centofanim, Sky93.3 News 

In Rabun County, days of heavy rainfall from Tropical depression Alberto has prompted Georgia Power to begin releasing water downstream from their reservoir lakes and dams in Rabun County.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Tallulah Falls Dam and the surrounding area, especially affecting campgrounds and other low-lying areas along the Tallulah River between Lake Rabun and Tallulah Gorge.

According to Rabun County Search and Rescue (SAR) Chief Riley Owens, residents of Lake Rabun were warned and asked to evacuate.

“I’ve already been door to door asking people to evacuate on Lake Rabun. A lot of people decided to stay but we do have flooding,” Owens said.

Georgia Power Co. has posted a High Flow Event in conjunction with the Flood Warning.

Tugalo Dam has 14 gates open, while currently two gates are open at Tallulah Falls Dam and one gate is open at Burton Dam, according to the alerts.

Preparations are underway to open one or more gates at Mathis Dam on Lake Rabun, and additional gates may be opened at Burton Dam. Gates on the dams are used to reduce elevated lake levels resulting from recent sustained heavy rain.

Campgrounds and low-lying property along the Tallulah River between Lake Rabun and Tallulah Gorge may experience rapid rises in water level and flash flooding.

Some locations that will experience flooding include Tallulah Falls, Lake Rabun, Lakemont, Tallulah Gorge State Park, and Tiger, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Shady Lane, Mathis Dam Road and Old 441 will be impacted, and portions of the roads may be flooded.

Because most flood deaths occur in vehicles, motorists should not attempt to drive through water-covered roadways, across water-covered bridges or low-level crossings.

“Shady Lane is under 2 feet of water and the level of water beneath Joy Bridge Road is 2 inches from the bottom of the bridge,” Owens said.

The initial weather warning was originally set to continue until Wednesday afternoon but may be extended until Thursday based on continuing heavy rain in the area, according to Rabun County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Micheal Mazarky.

“Many roads in the county are closed due to flooding. But if you come across a road in the county that has been closed and barricaded, please for your own safety do not move, or drive around the barricade,” Mazarky said. “Crews are out driving the roads to determine which areas are flooded. An updated list of road closures will be posted on the county road department and SAR FaceBook page.”

In White County, parts of downtown Helen flooded overnight when the Chattahoochee River overflowed its banks.

Officials there closed most of the downtown area after almost a foot of rain fell there overnight.