East Tennessee Hurricane Helen Cleanup is approaching a tight deadline
Tennessee Hurricane Helen Cleanup is nearing completion
The job has not been done for the Tennessee Valley Bureau crews who are still cleaning wreckage from Hurricane Helen more than six months ago. They find creative ways to get the job done by late June when water levels peak each year.
Hurricane Helen Cleanup efforts in eastern Tennessee face a tight deadline as crews work to complete the project by June.
The Tennessee Valley Bureau (TVA) crew working at Douglas Reservoir, Tennessee, hopes to complete cleanup efforts before water levels reach their summer peaks at the end of June.
September, Hurricane Helen Some East Tennessee waterways were not recognized.
The Tennessee Department of Emergency Management said it was clearing debris from the waterways in six counties.
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Dandridge residents described the aftermath immediately after Hurricane Helen as “courage.” One resident said the wreckage was very thick and she felt “can walk on the water.” (Jil Cody)
One of those waterways is Douglas’ Reservoir. There, residents said the hurricane was the last thing they expected to happen. Amazing Smoky Mountains.
“It looked like I could walk on the water. There were a lot of debris,” said Dandridge resident Kathy Villers.
“We just came from town and it was crazy,” said Jill Cody, a resident of Dandridge. “You know, I’ve never experienced a hurricane. Certainly, I didn’t think I had it here.
Clint Stanley is one of about 100 TVA workers tasked with cleaning the 390-mile coastline of the reservoir. So far, his team has removed more than 96,000 cubic yards of debris from the reservoir. That was enough to fill the 96 barges.
Approximately 77,000 cubic yards of debris have been cleared from Douglas Reservoir. One barge can carry 1,000 cubic yards of debris. (Fox News)
Many of the remaining coastline debris will be out of reach of TVA excavators until water levels rise sufficiently to clean up the steep coastline. The crew of the land placed debris stockpiles along the coast in case the excavators could reach it.
“We staged it at elevation, where we get the right draft from the barge and get it,” Stanley said.
However, rising water levels are expected to carry debris that once were on the coastline. Stanley’s team placed traps of debris along the coast and coves to prevent debris from floating.
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TVA Civil Engineering Construction Manager Kevin Holbrook said about a quarter of the three-quarter debris in Douglas Reservoir is natural and can be burned to ashes. He said burning debris reduces the impact. Tennessee roads and landfills.
“Now as our water levels rise, we need to bring that material here to our loading location and carry the remaining pieces to the landfill,” Holbrook said.
About 75% of the Douglas Reservoir debris is natural and can burn out to about 150 cubic yards of ashes. Crews said reducing debris to ashes reduces stress on roads and landfills. (Fox News)
According to the TVA, the Douglas Reservoir cleanup is about 70% complete.
Progress is also being made in other parts of the state.
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Tema is estimated that more than 2 million cubic yards of hurricane debris were brought from Tennessee waterways. One foot deep enough to fill approximately 973 soccer fields.