Flood-tracking chart for the Withlacoochee and Little River Basins in south-central Georgia and northern Florida

For More Information

If you would like more information about one of the following agencies, please call, e-mail, or check the following Web sites:

Georgia Water Science Center phone: (678) 924-6700 e-mail: dc_ga@usgs.gov http://ga.water.usgs.gov Georgia Emergency Management Agency phone: 1 (800) TRY-GEMA or (404) 635-7000 http://www.gema.ga.gov Georgia Department of Natural Resources phone: (404) 656-3500 http://www.gadnr.org Georgia Floodplain Management Unit phone: (404) 675-1757 National Weather Service Southeast River Forecast Center phone: (770) 486-0028 http://www.srh.noaa.gov/serfc National Weather Service Tallahassee Weather Field Office Phone: (850) 942-8851 http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tlh American Red Cross South Georgia Chapter phone: (229) 242-7404 www.valdostaredcross.org Small animals that have been

Use a flashlight to inspect for

they are put up for your — Some appliances, such as television sets, remain

the road or bridge beyond the barrier — they have been taken apart, cleaned, and dried. Don’t use appliances or motors that have gotten wet unless electrically charged even after they have been unplugged. equipment. Be extremely cautious using recently flooded electrical contain broken or dangerous objects. floodwaters will cover floors with slippery mud that can use caution when entering flooded buildings. In addition, flooded out of their homes may seek shelter in yours, so Look before you step. the area has been ventilated. flames unless you know the gas has been turned off and damage. Don’t smoke or use candles, lanterns, or open Be alert for gas leaks. city/county emergency management office. Report downed power lines to the power company or electrocution. Electrical current can travel through water. The number two cause of flood-related deaths is Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. and distillation. flood. Treatment methods include boiling, disinfection, or lake and stream water from areas not affected by the other forms of safe supply such as spring water, rainfall, drinking-water supply, consider bottled water or treating illness or death. When flooding interrupts the normal pollutants and waterborne diseases that can result in Do not drink floodwater. may be washed out. Turn around, don’t drown! protection around road barriers drown in their cars than anywhere else. Don’t drive Do not drive through a flooded area. knock you off your feet. can be deceptive; shallow but fast-moving water can number one cause of flood-related deaths. Water currents Do not walk through flowing water.

Local Flood-Emergency Phone Numbers

(All county numbers are emergency management agency (EMA) offices or best available):

Georgia contacts:

Berrien County Brooks County Colquitt County Cook County Lowndes County Tift County Thomas County Turner County Worth County City of Adel

Florida contacts:

Hamilton County Madison County Bring outdoor

information during the flood.

to the local media for the latest and NWS Web pages and listen

Do’s

Stay informed.

take all necessary and appropriate and flood warnings are issued, or is located in a flood-hazard area If your property is known to flood

communities that participate from floods; however, in policies do not cover damage Regular homeowners’ insurance

(229) 686-6588 (229) 263-7558 (229) 616-7025 (229) 896-2266 (229) 671-2790 (229) 388-6060 (229) 225-4190 (229) 567-4313 (229) 776-8211 (229) 896-3771 Police (229) 896-7375 Fire (229) 896-2780 Utilities (229) 567-2323 Police (229) 567-4952 Fire (229) 567-2424 Utilities (229) 686-6558 Police (229) 686-3331 Fire (229) 263-7556 Police (229) 263-4311 Fire (229) 263-4166 Utilities (229) 776-8500 Police (229) 776-8511 Fire (229) 776-8513 Public Works (229) 382-3132 Police (229) 391-3972 Fire (229) 391-3944 Public Works (229) 242-2606 Police (229) 333-1835 Fire (229) 259-3530 Engineering

(386) 792-6447 (850) 973-3698 turn off utilities. remove only the most important items including pets, and furniture inside, raise essential items as high as possible, If you must evacuate, secure your home. and destruction. magnitude of the flood and the potential for death Their advice is based on knowledge of the predicted Do leave if local authorities recommend evacuation.

and Don’ts a Flood— Surviving During

heaters, and air conditioning compressor units. as refrigerators, washing machines, clothes dryers, water lines; and elevating furniture, carpets, and appliances such sandbagging; turning off all electrical circuits and gas steps to protect your family and property. These include

Measures Property Protection Flood Safety and

covered; if not, you might want to add this coverage. flood insurance policy to see if your home’s contents are furnishings inside the structure may be costly. Check your structure and not the contents. During floods, damage to improvement loan. These policies may cover only the it was required when they obtained a mortgage or home Some homeowners purchased flood insurance because to filing any claims. agents. Flood insurance must be purchased 30 days prior about flood insurance is available through local insurance properties that have previously flooded. Information in the participating communities to everyone, even for is backed by the Federal Government and is available separate flood insurance is available. This insurance in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program,

for Homeowners Flood Insurance

at published manuals on protecting your home from floods install a plug, stand-pipe, or backup valve. FEMA has heavy rains. One possible solution is to have a plumber in the floodplain, have sewers that can back up during updated building codes. Many houses, even those not -

. http://www.fema.

architect, structural engineer, or consult a design professional, new or existing structures, When elevating or flood proofing

from the Federal Emergency Flood maps and publications

local agencies, operates a other Federal, State, and (USGS), in cooperation with The U.S. Geological Survey edgeable and experienced in flood-proofing methods and licensed contractor for advice. They generally are knowl

My Home? or Flood Proof How Do I Elevate

gov/national-flood-insurance-program situation. For more information, visit mation provided at these offices to better understand your to flood proof your home or property, consult the infor permit offices. Before you build or make any attempt department of public works and engineering and building Flood-zone determinations are provided by the local building permit offices, and local public libraries. department of public works, department of engineering, Administration are available for review at the local Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Insurance

Flood-Hazard Areas

listed under “Local flood emergency phone numbers.” issues. The emergency phone number for your area is about road closures, evacuations, and other public safety response agencies use this information to make decisions City, Georgia. During floods, the public and emergency and the National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree satellite telemetry to the USGS in Atlanta, Georgia of this publication) that transmit stage data through river stage stations (ten are shown on the reverse side River Basins. This system is a network of automated flood-monitoring system in the Withlacoochee and Little

Little River Basins Withlacoochee and Flood Monitoring in the

This Withlacoochee and Little River Basins floodtracking chart can be used by local citizens and emergency response personnel to record the latest river stage and predicted flood-crest information along the Withlacoochee River, Little River, and Okapilco Creek in south-central Georgia and northern Florida. By comparing the current stage (water-surface level above a datum) and predicted flood crest to the recorded peak stages of previous floods, emergency response personnel and residents can make informed decisions concerning the threat to life and property.

This chart shows a map of the basin with the location of selected real-time river stage stations, which are listed by name and station number. For each site, colored bars represent the five highest recorded peak stages and the years in which they occurred. The white bar provides a scale to record the most recently reported river stage from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS Georgia Water Science Center displays available real-time river stage data on the Web at http://water.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/rt.

For each of the selected stations that is a floodforecast point, the predicted flood-crest information from the National Weather Service (NWS) can be recorded. USGS data are used by the NWS for its flood-forecasting models. The NWS routinely broadcasts this forecast information to the media and on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio (NWR). Current NWR broadcast frequencies can be accessed at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrbro.htm.

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