November 6–7, 2017 Flash Flooding

Liberty

West Main St. became impassable by daybreak as floodwaters inundated a low point in the roadway.

A truck became stranded in the rising water and was left abandoned.

Photo: Josh Miller

Saunders Fork

Along Highway 145 south of Auburntown, Saunders Fork Creek flooded many fields and sections of the roadway.

The second image depicts flooding near Auburntown around 3 am CST.

A major tributary of the Smith Fork, Saunders Fork Creek sends a large volume of water into the Smith Fork from the Auburntown area in northwest Cannon County, just a few miles below the head of Smith Fork near the town of Statesville.

Video: Larry Thomas; Photo: Gennie Morgan

DeKalb West School

In the western part of Liberty, Smith Fork surrounded DeKalb West Elementary School, flooding land on three sides. The school building itself was not impacted.

Odom & Page Rd., which runs behind the school, disappeared from view at the creek crossing.

Video: Ciara Roehner; Photos: Tena Edwards & Regina Robinson

Western Liberty

Tubb St. at U.S. 70 in Liberty. Water running off the hills behind the picture is more than the small drainage canal can handle. 

The canal (left side of image) sends water underneath U.S. 70 via a culvert and into Smith Fork Creek, which is behind the house in the background.

Photo: WTVF

East Main St. - Liberty

Water topped the south end of the East Main St. bridge, about 500 yards south of U.S. 70 and blocked nearby Bluff Rd.

It also flooded many acres of fields between Liberty and Dowelltown.

Video: Ciara Roehner; Photos: Tena Edwards

Smith Fork at U.S. 70

Just downstream of the East Main bridge in Liberty, Smith Fork passes under U.S. 70, where large swelling was documented.

Video: Ciara Roehner; Photo: Regina Robinson

Gassaway

A small community in northern Cannon County, Gassaway was impacted by floodwaters at the confluence of Connell Creek and Clear Fork Creek. Several homes were impacted in this area. Clear Fork continues northward before emptying into Smith Fork in Liberty.

In the first image, Gassaway Main St. at Martin Dr. is completely covered by floodwater as it runs along the creek before turning to go across the bridge in the background.

Video: Tommy Wilson

Vandergriff Hollow

In the Dry Creek Valley, Vandergriff Hollow Rd. is covered by floodwater from Dry Creek at its intersection with Old Dry Creek Rd. 

Dry Creek goes upstream to the left, while a smaller branch follows the road to the right.

Photo: Lisa Cripps

Dry Creek at U.S. 70

A large area of fields were inundated by Dry Creek immediately to the east of Dowelltown. The creek passes under U.S. 70 at this point before continuing into town.

Much of the bottomland surrounding Dry Creek, as well as a few homes, fell victim to the torrent of water rushing through the valley.

Photo: WTVF; Video: Jennifer Harvey

Dry Creek at Dowelltown

East Main St. and Smith Fork Rd. were made impassable by flooding on the east side of Dowelltown.

Dry Creek joins Smith Fork Creek approximately a half mile downstream of the bridge along East Main, the third major tributary picked up by Smith Fork.

Photos: Tena Edwards & Nikolas Agee

Dismal Bridge

The bridge along Alexandria to Dismal Rd. became overtopped and littered with debris. In the background, bottomland is inundated up to the intersection with Smith Fork Rd.

Nearby, a driveway is flooded near the confluence of Dismal Branch and Smith Fork.

Photos: Lisa Cripps

Hannah Branch

A small stream known as Hannah Branch completely covered fields and blocked Smith Fork Rd. near the stream's confluence with Smith Fork Creek. The third image depicts Smith Fork just upstream from Hannah Branch.

Photos: Cason Oakley

Temperance Hall

A river gauge operated by the United States Geological Service recorded a height of 27.5 feet at 12:30 pm CST, having risen from 2.32 feet 13 hours earlier. The water discharge rate reached 38,700 cubic feet per second, having began at 75 cubic feet per second hours before.

This set a record for gauge height and discharge rate at this site, which has been operational since 1991. The previous record was 26.89 feet (31,600 cu ft/s) from May 3, 2010.

Highway 264

Highway 264 in Temperance Hall became impassable along a 0.9-mile section from Walker Creek to just past Lower Helton Rd. Water from Smith Fork covered the road completely in two sections.

Photos: Josh Martin and @Rkw3838

Walker Creek & Bates Hollow

At the intersection of Highway 264 and Old Lancaster Rd., the Walker Creek bridge was overtopped at its confluence with Smith Fork.

Nearby, water from Smith Fork backed up into this branch along Bates Hollow Rd. at the Smith/DeKalb county line.

Photos: Seth Willoughby

Temperance Valley Rd.

Along Temperance Valley Rd. in extreme southern Smith County, more bottomland saw an extreme level of flooding from Smith Fork Creek.

Photo: David Walker

Lancaster

Before reaching a confluence with the Caney Fork River, Smith Fork Creek flooded numerous fields in the Lancaster community.

Video: Kendra Fulghum

Aftermath: Davis Hollow

Just around a curve from Davis Hollow Rd., Smith Fork Rd. dips and then rises into this picture.

The dip in the road (bottom center) is the first part of the road to flood in a normal event and was completely inundated during this event.

Photo: Hunter Robinson

Aftermath: Smith Fork Rd.

Floodwaters in this area covered Smith Fork Rd. and topped this barbed wire fence.

In the center of the image, a small river cut, known as a chute cutoff, is slowly being formed as Smith Fork cuts the river bend short.

Photo: Hunter Robinson

Aftermath: Temperance Hall

The shoulder of the road along Highway 264 at the Smith Fork bridge was washed out, and a large tree was deposited in a nearby hay field.

Photo: Hunter Robinson

Hickman

In Smith County, Hickman Creek overran its banks, flooding out bottomland and a few structures. Water rose to near the top of the Highway 264 bridge in town.

Photo: Jackie M. Jackson

Grant

In extreme western Smith County, floodwaters from Round Lick Creek inundate a vehicle, lawn mower, and trampoline along Winding Hills Ln.

Photo: Gina Johnson

Turner Branch

Streams south of Smithville such as Turner Branch also swelled due to heavy rainfall.

Homes along Evergreen St. were surrounded by water as the branch overflowed its banks.

Media: Elliott Cook

Highway 56 - DeKalb County

Pine Creek and Sink Creek overflowed south of Smithville, flooding parts of Highway 56/McMinnville Highway.

White County

In the Sparta area, more spots were flooded, such as the property in the image.

Photo: @10uhhseegirl

Woodbury

The banks of the Stones River at Doolittle Rd. in Woodbury were overwhelmed by floodwaters.

Photo: Kimberly Smithson

Walterhill

The Walterhill community of northern Rutherford County also felt the effects of flooding.

The second image depicts flooding along Powells Chapel Rd..

Photos: Kristen Shaw & Abbie Davis

Smyrna

Significant ponding occurred along Nevada Ave. at Wade Harrod Rd. near Nissan in Smyrna.

Photo: Lynn Mullis-Timmons

Cherry Ln. - Murfreesboro

Flooding along a small stream adjacent to the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex. The stream flows northward and joins the Stones River at Walterhill approximately 1.5 miles away.

Photo: @olegunnerbryan

Lavergne

Flooding was also observed in the town of Lavergne, as seen in this image.

Photo: Jenifer Smith

Mill Creek

Mill Creek reached high levels along Brittain Ln. in the Nolensville area of northeast Williamson County, almost hitting moderate flood stage.

Photo: Sara Weiland

Antioch

Flooding occurred around Antioch, especially in the area of Mill Creek.

This image is from a neighborhood near Pin Hook Rd.

Photo: @chromaticsocks

Mill Creek at Antioch

Mill Creek rose quickly overnight and was just shy of moderate flood stage by 10 am CST.

Mill Creek at Woodbine

Like in Antioch, Mill Creek rose quickly overnight in the Woodbine area, cresting just shy of moderate flood stage.

Seven Mile Creek

A tributary of Mill Creek, Seven Mile Creek rose swiftly overnight. The creek almost reached moderate flood stage but quickly fell back below action stage by mid-morning.

Browns Creek

At the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Browns Creek crested very early on November 7 at 9.26 feet, well into minor flood stage.

Further upstream at Glendale Ln., the creek reached 8.16 feet, elevating into action stage.

Richland Creek

At Belle Meade, Richland Creek reached 10.41 feet just after midnight, elevating it into moderate flood stage. The flooding quickly receded by mid-morning.

Downstream at Charlotte Ave., waters crested at 11.13 feet, only reaching action stage at that gauge.

Harpeth River

At Bellevue, the Harpeth reached action stage at a level of 16.71 feet by around 10 am CST.

Upstream, the river rose considerably near Franklin but remained well below action stage.

Kingston Springs

In Cheatham County, the Harpeth River began rising after 10 pm CST November 6. By noon on November 7, it had risen into minor flood stage with a level of 22.78 feet at the U.S. 70 bridge north of Kingston Springs.

Humphreys/Houston County

Areas well west of Nashville also received heavy rainfall, flooding areas such as Waverly Rd. between Waverly and Tennessee Ridge.

Photo: Magan Mitchell

Piney River

In Hickman County, the Piney River near the Vernon community crested around noon at 13.39 feet, just shy of minor flood stage.