The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area sustained major storm damage from Hurricane Ivan, including 200 down trees, five miles of washed out roads, raw sewage spills in two of the units, 500 linear feet of split rail fencing lost, and flooding of several park buildings. The headquarters area was without power for 27 hours and IT service, including phones, was restored after 88 hours.
Park staff, along with volunteers, worked through the weekend to open up many of the units. In addition, a SET team with the US Forest Service and staff from Martin Luther King NHS joined forces on Sunday, Sept. 19, to help clear the units from debris and silt.
Currently, 50% of the trees have been cleared from entrance roads and trails. Three units, Paces, Vickery, and Whitewater, remain closed due to raw sewage spills and a collapsed road.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
