Summer Safety Tips Along the Chattahoochee River

The Chattahoochee River flows along the borders of Alabama, Georgia and Florida and is about 430 miles long, according to Wikipedia.

The Warning System at Buford Dam

The Buford Dam, completed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1957, is located about 40 miles north of downtown Atlanta. The Powerhouse conceals the electrical turbines which discharge vast measures of water which can cause sudden rises in the water levels in Lake Lanier as well as the Chattahoochee River. The Buford Dam generates power for use on hot summer days when the demand for electricity is at its highest. The opening of the gates, which allows a sudden release of water into the Chattahoochee River is always preceded by the blast of a siren-type horn which serves as a warning to anyone who is in the river to get out. The initial siren blast occurs 5 minutes prior to the release and and can be heard more than a mile downstream. The howling of the siren is repeated 10 times, occurring every 3 ''½ minutes. Warning signs are also posted all along the river in order to alert visitors who may not be aware of the warning sirens system in use. The Army Corps of Engineers also requires anyone who enters the river between Buford Dam and the GA 20 bridge to wear a life vest.

In spite of all the warnings and careful attention to keep visitors alert while they enjoy swimming and other water sports on the river, The Chattahoochee has claimed a number of lives, many of those accidents occurring at or around the time of the release of water through the gates.

Lives Claimed by the Chattahoochee River Near Buford Dam

In early June, 2011, the river claimed the life of a nine-year-old girl who was tubing along the Chattahoochee River in the Settles Bridge Park area, near the Forsyth and Gwinnett county line. According to news sources, there were two adults and three minors in the river with the girl at the time. She had been wearing a life vest, but the vest was found floating near her body when rescuers reached her. It appears that she was caught in the sudden rush of water following the opening of the dam gates. On that day, the water was scheduled to be released at 2:55 PM. The emergency call came in to 911 at 4:32 PM. It was reported that the child had been under water for more than an hour when rescuers spotted her life preserver floating on the water.

In May, 201l, the body of a 51 year-old Buford man was pulled from the Chattahoochee River by some fishermen. The victim had also been fishing on the river and had apparently drowned.

A total of seventeen people have drowned in this area of the Chattahoochee River since 2000.

Information provided by the Atlanta Journal Constitution: "Travelers near the dam can tune to AM 1610 for the latest discharge information. The corps lists online information about dam openings, or the public can call 770-945-1466 for a daily water-release schedule."

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattahoochee_River

http://www.ajc.com/news/caution-critical-for-river-974369.html?cxtype=rss_news

http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/girl-9-pulled-from-966506.html

http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/buford-man-drowns-in-947015.html