Lingering debris from Helene poses special hazards on the lake
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - With this week marking the unofficial start of summer fun, this is a busy time to be on the water all over the country.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is all about safety on the water while having fun too, but wardens are warning that there’s still some debris from Hurricane Helene that can pose dangers at Clarks Hill Lake and in the Savannah River.
It’s that time of year again where you’ll probably want to be on the water, but because of Hurricane Helene — going to the lake could look different now.
Ga. wardens keeping an eye out for unsafe boating this weekend
Officials are urging people to be careful on the water across the CSRA.
So the experts say you need to be cautious of this summer.
“Our No. 1 concern on the lake is everybody being safe. Got to be safe while you’re out here on the lake,” Thomas Ledford, a game warden with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, told us ahead of Memorial Day.
Georgia DNR says it’s important to be cautious when out on the water, to look out for potential floating debris, and to try and get off the water as soon as you can if you see storms rolling in.
Father, son reel in massive 47-pound catfish
A father and son reeled in a 47-pound catfish while fishing on Friday. Liam and Bradley Watts caught the flathead catfish around 8 p.m. on Lake Hickory.
“On the northern end, there is always a lot of standing trees involved with that. And then trees coming loose and drifting down towards the dam area, situational awareness is key. While on the boats, as long as you’re maintaining situational awareness and making sure that there is no that you’re not going to hit any debris and minding your buoys at the same time,” said Cory Bohannon, Georgia DNR. “So different parts of the lake, obviously, with the trees being down, and if they’re if they have been in the water for a little while, they can come loose. So that’s something else to be looking on the lookout for is to make sure there’s not even debris floating in the water.”
Some areas around the lake are still closed because of damage, which could change where you might want to go if you decide to go out on the water this summer.
“The core has a lot of parks down that are shut off right now that will not be opening this season. So, unfortunately, that’s going to have to push the public in other spots. Our state parks are going to be hit pretty hard with that. I know they’ve been preparing for the influx of people into state parks and visiting as well. With that being said, our state parks still have a lot of damage and cleanup to do,” said Bohannon.
8th grader catches a 68-pound catfish
Benjamin Strong’s video shows off the 68-pound flathead catfish. “I have a sister about that size, like it’s crazy,” he said.
Ga DNR says it’s important to stay aware when out on the water — and that even though they weren’t busy this past weekend because of the weather, they’re prepared for more people to be out on the water this summer.
“With the current weather situation and all the storms rolling in. Clarksville is known for storms to roll in. With that being said, the best thing to do is get off the water if you can,” said Bohannon.
Although there may be some debris in the water, some recreational areas on the lake have reopened after being closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene.
Among the newly reopened areas is the Army Corps of Engineers’ West Dam area. To check the status of other Army Corps locations on the lake, visit https://corpslakes.erdc.dren.mil/visitors/status.cfm?state=Map.
The Augusta Canal is a mixed bag. The water itself is safe for kayaking, but on the trails, watch out for broken and leaning trees. Watch for barriers meant to keep you away.
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