Chattanooga had 3-6 inches of rain over a 24-hour period including Christmas Day, causing many creeks to overflow and water to cover roadways.
South Chickamauga Creek was expected to crest at 25.5 feet. The National Weather Service said it was expected to crest Saturday afternoon at 7.5 feet above flood stage.
West Chickamauga Creek and Lookout Creek were also well above flood stage.
Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center will be closed this weekend due to excessive rain and treacherous conditions
The Christmas Nights of Lights at Camp Jordan in East Ridge was canceled after water rose to waist high.
At 2:15 p.m. Saturday the South Chickamauga Creek stage was 24.3 feet. Flood stage is 18 feet. Moderate flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast.
The creek is set to continue rising to near 25.5 feet by after midnight, but is then expected to begin falling. The creek will fall below flood stage by late Monday morning.
At 27 feet, homes on Arlena Circle off Shallowford Road are evacuated. Evacuations also took place at the Fountainbleau Apartments on Spring Creek Road in East Ridge.
At 9 a.m. Saturday the stage on West Chickamauga Creek was 12.6 feet and rising. Minor flooding will continue. Flood stage is 11 feet.
The creek was to continue rising to near 14 feet by Saturday evening. It will fall below flood stage late Monday morning.
At 13 feet, minor flooding expands further into the woodlands and fields near the creek upstream and downstream from the gauge on Georgia Highway 146 or Cloud Springs Road bridge. Minor flooding of the creek also expands much further downstream as it crosses the Tennessee border into the south East Ridge area.
At 9 a.m. Saturday the stage was 17.9 feet and falling on Lookout Creek. Moderate flooding will continue. Flood stage is 12 feet.
The creek will continue to fall to below flood stage by Sunday morning.
At 17 feet, moderate flooding begins. Several small buildings near the New England hang gliding recreation park begin to flood. Several roads in Dade county will be closed including Sells Lane...Mason Road...and Creek Road. The water will be several feet deep on portions of these roads. Also moderate flooding will begin downstream as the creek crosses the Tennessee border into the Lookout Valley area. Several roads near the creek will be flooded and closed.
The 911 Communications Center released the following list of road closures:
6400 block of GRUBB - WATER ACROSS ROADWAY
3300 block of LIGHTFOOT MILL - WATER ACROSS ROADWAY
1100 block of AIRPORT - NEED BARRICADES
3400 block of LIGHTFOOT MILL - WATER ACROSS ROADWAY
3400 block of BRANNON - WATER ACROSS ROADWAY
1824 E 23RD ST - STANDING WATER
1300 block of SHALLOWFORD - STANDING WATER
6012 ARLENA - WATER ACROSS ROADWAY