HELEN, Ga. — More rain means new concerns about rising water in some Northeast Georgia neighborhoods.
Some of the area’s tourist attractions played the waiting game Friday to see if storms will impact them.
Usually this time of year, dozens of people are seen in inner tubes on the Chattahoochee River.
But Friday, people said it was just not safe enough.
The normally clear water of the Chattahoochee roared as it moved swiftly through the mountains just north of Helena even as zip liners passed through the tree canopy overhead.
“The river is really high, higher than we really wanted it,” Dakota Sullens said.
Sullens manages Cool River Tubing and Attractions.
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Even though people were zip lining, no one was in inner tubes. That's because Sullens said the river just was not safe.
“The Chattahoochee gauge is a little bit higher than we want the river to be at like at 1.6 on the river gauge for it to be safe for families and people to go tubing,” Sullens said.
The river runs right through the middle of Helen and right under Shari Snapp’s Cafã International.
“Yesterday was by far the worst day I’ve seen in 33 years of being here,” Snapp said.
The river waters got high enough to flood a local gas station.
Snapp said she was so concerned for the safety of her employees, she sent them home early.
“We were getting worried that some of the roads were closed and of course, getting our help home, you know, our staff, our staff, you know, very important,” Snapp said.
At Cool River, Sullens said they’re hoping they can begin tubing again this weekend.
“So this was bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in my lifetime,” Sullens said.
The bad weather also affected the world-famous Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race.
Their main launch fields are underwater, so they’ve only been able to launch two or three balloons so far.
Cox Media Group
