Flood Warnings Active Along Satilla River in South Georgia
Multiple flood warnings are active along rivers in southeast Georgia, with the Satilla River at Atkinson forecast to crest at 17.2 feet early Sunday — well above its 13.0-foot flood stage.
WAYCROSS, GEORGIA — The National Weather Service has active flood warnings along the Satilla River in southeast Georgia, with minor flooding currently occurring at multiple gauging points affecting Pierce, Ware, and Brantley Counties.
The warnings, issued by NWS Jacksonville, Florida on June 25 at 9:38 PM EDT, cover the Satilla River at Waycross and the Satilla River at Atkinson. The Waycross warning remains in effect until 4:00 AM EDT on June 27, while the Atkinson warning is in effect until further notice.
Current River Conditions
At the Waycross gauge, minor flooding is occurring and additional minor flooding is forecast through late Friday night. On the Ware County side, the Jamestown Road Boat Ramp is already flooded, and the boat ramp and dirt access roads at the Pierce/Brantley county line along the State Road 121 Bridge are also inundated.
At 17.0 feet, the Jamestown Road Boat Ramp parking lot and access road on the Ware County side flood, and Simmons Trail becomes impassable, cutting off one residence. At 18.0 feet, additional flooding impacts are expected in the area.
At the Atkinson gauge, which affects Brantley County, the river measured 14.5 feet at 8:45 PM EDT Thursday — already above the flood stage of 13.0 feet. The river is forecast to crest at 17.2 feet early Sunday morning, according to the NWS.
Impacts on Roads, Campgrounds, and Recreation Areas
At 13.0 feet on the Atkinson gauge, Warners Landing, Louis Landing, and secondary roads around KOA campgrounds begin to flood. At 14.0 feet, River Rock Road experiences flooding across the road surface.
On the Pierce County side at Waycross, the Okefenokee Country Club Course holes 14 through 16 begin to flood when the river reaches 17.0 feet. Residents and visitors in low-lying areas near both river gauges are urged to avoid flooded roads and stay away from riverbanks.
The NWS Jacksonville office said an updated flood statement for the affected Georgia rivers would be issued Friday evening at 9:45 PM EDT. Additional river information is available at water.weather.gov/wfo/JAX.
Regional Flooding Extends Into Florida and Alabama
The flooding is not limited to Georgia. NWS Tallahassee issued a separate flood warning on June 25 at 9:24 PM EDT for the Choctawhatchee River near Bruce, Florida, affecting Walton and Washington Counties in Florida. That warning runs until late Sunday evening, June 28.
At 7:45 PM CDT Thursday, the Choctawhatchee River near Bruce stood at 14.9 feet, above its flood stage of 14.0 feet. At that level, Big Cedar, Cowford, and Choctawhatchee River Roads begin to flood in Walton County, flood waters impact storage areas beneath homes on the west banks of the river, and low areas along Strickland Road in Washington County become subject to flooding. The river is expected to fall below flood stage late Sunday morning and continue declining to 12.8 feet by Tuesday evening.
Farther west, NWS Mobile issued a flood warning on June 25 at 8:15 PM CDT for the Escambia River near Century, Florida, affecting Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in Florida. That warning runs until Sunday morning, June 28. As of 8:00 PM CDT Thursday, the Escambia River measured 17.9 feet — above its flood stage of 17.0 feet, at which point considerable flooding of lowlands occurs. The river is expected to remain near 17.9 feet through just after midnight before falling below flood stage early Sunday morning.
Residents in all affected areas are encouraged to monitor conditions and visit weather.gov/safety/flood for flood safety information.
