Waterville Dam Release Sparks Flooding Along Pigeon River
The last thing that people in Cocke County wanted to hear was River Flood Warning. Heavy rains caused by storms rolling through the southeast, including parts of North Carolina, caused officials with Waterville Dam to release some water. That sent the Pigeon River above flood stage on Sunday. Waters reached the edge of River Road downtown as the river rose above flood stage in downtown Newport. Things were dicey Sunday in the Hartford area because of the water released from Waterville Dam. According to the Cocke County Sheriff’s office, Trail Hollow Road in Hartford was closed due to water coming over the roadway.
The Cocke County Emergency Management Agency reported that seven pumps used by construction crews near the top of Waterville Road were swept away by the Pigeon River. Construction equipment being used in the Hartford area was also swept into the river. The Trail Hollow and Lindsey Gap bridges closed due to water being over those bridges. The Pigeon River crested at 6:45pm Sunday evening at 11.47 feet, about 3 1/2 feet above flood stage.
The River Flood Warning for the Pigeon River has been cancelled as the river fell back below flood stage around 3am this morning. Swift Water Rescue Teams have been in place in areas near the Pigeon River between Hartford and Newport since Sunday afternoon. EMA Director Joe Esway is urging people to stay away from the edge of the Pigeon River. Esway posted on Facebook Sunday that flooding from Helene was a generational event and this is not the same thing. However, he stated that residents near the river should remain vigilant.