Toccoa River (GA) / Ocoee River (TN) at Copperhill

1. 16.00 ftA catastrophic flood event affecting much of the infrastructure in Copperhill Tennessee and McCaysville Georgia. Numerous homes, businesses, and roads will be flooded with several feet of water. Transportation between the two towns will be cutoff as both bridges will be topped. Massive evacuations will be needed. River Road and the Horsebend Park and its facilities will be completely flooded.
2. 14.00 ftMajor flooding occurs with widespread inundation along the river in Copperhill Tennessee and McCaysville Georgia. Numerous homes, businesses, the Copperhill Post Office and Ocoee Street will be flooded. Evacuations will be needed. The Georgia Highway 5 bridge will be topped. The Bridge Street bridge will form an obstacle and act like a dam causing some backwater and erosion eddies to the sides of the bridge. Officials will likely close the bridge. The Horsebend Park and its facilities will be flooded.
3. 13.00 ftModerate flooding expands in areas along the river in Copperhill Tennessee and McCaysville Georgia. The flood waters will reach foundations of homes, businesses and affect portions of Ocoee Street, including the Copperhill Post Office. Some evacuations may be needed. The Georgia Highway 5 bridge will form an obstacle and act like a dam causing some backwater and erosion eddies to the sides of the bridge. Officials will likely close the bridge. The Horsebend Park including the restrooms will be flooded.
4. 12.00 ftModerate flooding begins and expands further into the woodlands and fields along the river in Copperhill Tennessee and McCaysville Georgia. The flood waters will approach foundations of homes and businesses. The parking lot behind the Copperhill Tennessee Post Office will be under one to two feet of water. The flood waters will begin to reach portions of Ocoee Street and the bottom of the Georgia Highway 5 bridge. Large portions of the Horsebend Park and parking lot will be flooded.
5. 10.00 ftMinor flooding expands into woodlands, fields, and backyards of homes near the river. The rock access road to the gage will be under two feet of water. Portions of parking lots near the river will begin to flood behind the Copperhill Tennessee Post Office and other businesses along Ocoee Street. Also flooding expands into the backyards of homes and the Horsebend Park in McCaysville Georgia.
6. 8.00 ftFlood stage is reached. Minor flooding begins of woodlands, fields and backyards of homes near the river upstream and downstream from the gage off Tennessee Highway 68 or Ocoee Street in Copperhill Tennessee. The rock access road to the gage will begin to flood. Flooding begins in the backyards of homes and the Horsebend Park in McCaysville Georgia.
7. 6.00 ftBankfull conditions are reached along the river upstream and downstream from the gage off of Tennessee Highway 68 or Ocoee Street in west Copperhill Tennessee. This includes low lying portions of the Horsebend Park in McCaysville Georgia.

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 16, 2026.

Most recent crests

• January 9, 2024: 7.49 ft
• March 31, 2021: 7.79 ft
• March 26, 2021: 9.37 ft
• February 6, 2020: 9.15 ft
• March 3, 2019: 6.69 ft
• March 1, 2018: 6.52 ft
• December 24, 2015: 9.61 ft
• December 2, 2015: 8.79 ft
• September 17, 2004: 8.59 ft
• January 27, 1996: 9.85 ft

• UpstreamToccoa River at Blue Ridge Dam
• DownstreamOcoee River at Ocoee Dam #3
• Toccoa River (GA) / Ocoee River (TN) at Emf (Archville 3S)
• Hiwassee River at Apalachia Dam
• Nottely River at Nottely River/Cook Bridge
• Hiwassee River at Hiwassee Dam
• Toccoa River at Dial
• Nottely River at Nottely Dam

Forecasts by the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.