Sweetwater Creek (Chattahoochee River tributary) facts for kids
Sweetwater Creek is a cool stream in the state of Georgia, in the United States. It's about 45 miles (73 kilometers) long and flows west of the big city of Atlanta. This creek starts in Paulding County, then goes through Cobb County, and finally turns south into Douglas County. Sweetwater Creek is a smaller stream that flows into the larger Chattahoochee River. Near its end, it runs right through Sweetwater Creek State Park, which is a popular spot for outdoor fun!
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Where Did Sweetwater Creek Get Its Name?
Sweetwater Creek got its name from a Cherokee leader. His name was AmaKanasta, which means "Sweet Water."
How We Measure the Creek
Since 1904, there has been a special measuring station near Lithia Springs. This station helps us keep track of the creek's water level. The area that drains into the creek above this point is about 246 square miles (637 square kilometers). The normal water level for the creek is around 2.7 feet. If the water gets to 10 feet, it means there's a flood!
When Sweetwater Creek Floods
Sweetwater Creek has had some big floods over the years.
The 2005 Flood
In July 2005, there was a major flood. This happened after two big storms, Hurricane Cindy and Hurricane Dennis, brought tons of rain. The creek rose to one of its highest levels ever. Many homes that were usually safe from floods ended up underwater. About 15 inches (38 cm) of rain fell at the measuring station before the flood damaged it.
The 2009 Flood
The worst flood ever recorded on Sweetwater Creek happened in September 2009. Days of very heavy rain caused the water to rise to new record levels. Many roads were completely covered by water. Even a major highway, Interstate 20, had to be closed for almost three days! Experts said this flood was much bigger than what usually happens even once every 500 years. It was a very rare event.
The previous record flood was 20 feet (6.1 meters) high in July 1916.
Smaller Streams That Join Sweetwater Creek
Many smaller streams flow into Sweetwater Creek. These are called tributaries. They add more water to the creek as it flows along. Here are some of them:
- Jack's Branch
- Beaver Run Creek
- Buttermilk Creek
- Noses Creek
- Olley Creek
- Ward Creek
- Powder Springs Creek
- Gothards Creek
- Mill Creek
- Mud Creek
- Little Creek
- Turkey Creek
