Georgia’s Great Flood Of 1994

Photo by Adobe Stock/JJ Gouin.

The year was 1994, and folks in middle and south Georgia still talk about it. Tropical Storm Alberto  stalled over Georgia, dumping incredible amounts of rain and causing destructive flooding. Here are a few examples of what the state looked like 30 years ago after the flood hit.

Lake Blackshear: Nowhere did sportsmen see the affects of the flood more profoundly than on Lake Blackshear when the dam gave way. The average depth of Blackshear when it is full is 12 to 15 feet deep, but the lake was reported at 14 feet low when the August 1994 issue of GON was printed. Estimates were that 65 to 70 percent of what used to be a lake was dry land.

Marcus Waters, Crisp County Power Commission resource manager for Lake Blackshear, said a 700-foot section of the dam was washed away during the flood.

“We’re looking at 10 to 12 months before the lake is back to normal,” said Marcus.

This caused DNR to close Lake Blackshear, at least for a month. However, closing it didn’t really affect sportsmen at the time.

“There’s nothing really left but the river channel,” said Marcus. “We think, from talking to biologists, that some fish like shad and some of the smaller fish got washed downstream. The rest are left in pools that are remaining or are in channels.”

Lake Jackson: The sight of water pouring over the top of the dam at Lake Jackson was an incredible and frightening sight. Amazingly, there was no damage to the dam and the lake was pretty quick to get back to its normal level. Van Kersey at Kersey’s Marina said that during the week after the flood the fishing was excellent.

“We lost a couple of docks, but we found them and put them back up,” said Van. “It took about a week, but we’re more or less back to where we were before the flood. The lake looks good right now. From the dam on up past Waters Bridge toward Highway 212 on the Alcovy River arm, it was clear three days after the flood. The Alcovy usually stays pretty clear.

“I’ve never seen anything like all that rain. About 18 to 20 years ago it got bad, then in 1990 it was bad, but this sure capped it all. The water got up to people’s houses around the lake, and they’re having to replace sheetrock and floors. It did some damage.”

Rum Creek WMA: The MARSH project was hit hard. The torrential rains flooded the pond and meant a loss of a great crop of corn that had already been planted for waterfowl.

“The corn was in great shape,” a WRD spokesperson said. “It was already at least 6 feet fall, but it’s gone now.”

State Parks: The Towaliga River poured over the dam at High Falls State Park. A 1902 bridge below the dam was washed away, and about 90 campsites were damaged and were closed. The Georgia Veterans State Park on Lake Blackshear lost the park office, 52 campsites and a museum. Also, the dam of the lake at Kolomoki Mounds State Park was damaged. Estimates of the damage to Georgia’s state parks were in the $2 million range.