Composite imagery from satellites show Hurricane Helene in the Gulf of Mexico as it approaches the Florida's coastline on Sept. 26, 2024 (Courtesy NOAA imagery)

Hurricane Helene Response

Hurricane Helene Flood Data Collection

Nashville District
Published Aug. 7, 2025
Updated: Aug. 8, 2025

Overview of Hurricane Helene

In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm before weakening as it moved inland. As the remnants tracked into the Southern Appalachia region, the system produced record-breaking rainfall and catastrophic flooding in eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and southern Virginia.

Mountainous terrain and already saturated soils amplified the flash flooding, leading to washed-out roads, damaged bridges, power outages, and widespread property and life loss. The storm’s rainfall totals exceeded historical records in several locations, with some rivers cresting far above their previous highs.

USACE Flood Data Collection Mission

Following the storm, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) carried out a high-water mark (HWM) survey to capture precise flood information for post-event analysis.

Survey Summary:

  • Area Covered: 19 counties across 3 states (East Tennessee, West North Carolina, South Virginia)
  • Scope: 2,587 high-water marks documented across 115 streams
  • Purpose: Document peak flood levels for the Hurricane Helene flood event, to support future flood risk management, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, emergency response planning, and public awareness.
  • Time Period of Collection: October 9 – November 23, 2024

What Is High-Water Mark Collection?

High-water marks are visible indicators, such as seed lines, debris lines, or water stains, left on surfaces that show the highest point reached by floodwaters.

Collection Process:

  1. Identified high-water marks in flood-affected areas
  2. Photographed each mark for visual documentation
  3. Recorded notes on the surface type, quality, and surrounding context
  4. Surveyed each point using GPS and elevation equipment
  5. Logged the data for processing, quality control review, and mapping

How the Data Was Used

The Hurricane Helene high-water mark dataset supports:

  • Flood Model Calibration – Improving accuracy of hydraulic and hydrologic models
  • Flood Risk Mapping – Updating flood maps and hazard assessments
  • Infrastructure Planning – Informing bridge, road, and critical infrastructure design
  • Emergency Management – Enhancing evacuation routes and disaster response plans
  • Historical Recordkeeping – Preserving data for long-term scientific and planning use

Where to View and Download the Data

The Hurricane Helene high-water mark dataset, along with comprehensive documentation of the storm and survey, has been made available for public and interagency use.

Available resources include:

  • Post-Flood Report – Summarizing the storm impacts, survey methods, results, and applications
  • GIS & Microsoft Excel Data Files – Downloadable formats for analysis and mapping
  • Interactive Map Viewer – Explore HWM locations, elevations, and descriptions online
  • Supporting Documents & Forms – ReadMe files, Metadata, and reference guides for interpreting the dataset

Access the Data & Resources:

Data is publicly available and can be used for non-commercial and governmental applications. The dataset is provided “as-is” with no warranties. Users should verify the accuracy of the data before applying it to decision-making processes.

Trevor Groce measures a high-water mark Nov. 13, 2024, on a building along the North Toe River in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. By collecting accurate measurements of Hurricane Helene flood levels and their impact, the Corps of Engineers is building a foundation for more effective planning and response to future weather events. (USACE Photo by Anderson Schmittou)
SLIDESHOW | 10 images | USACE team documenting Hurricane Helene flood data shifts focus to North Carolina Trevor Groce measures a high-water mark Nov. 13, 2024, on a building along the North Toe River in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. By collecting accurate measurements of Hurricane Helene flood levels and their impact, the Corps of Engineers is building a foundation for more effective planning and response to future weather events. (USACE Photo by Anderson Schmittou)

Photo Gallery & Related News


Contact
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District
Nashville.WaterResources@usace.army.mil

Click the link to learn more about Georgia Helene Debris Mission

 

Contractor Information

Contractors, please go to our Capabilities Submission Page to inform USACE about the capabilities you could bring to the disaster response efforts. Also, please refer to our Contracting in a Disaster Page for further information on how to be a part of the response efforts. 

  • Businesses and individual contractors interested in doing business with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should take the first step of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf
  • The SAM.gov solicitation and contract award system is used by the Corps and many, many other federal agencies for publishing solicitations and awarding contracts.  The Corps draws on the pool of SAM.gov registered businesses to award the contracts necessary to accomplish its missions, including post-storm restoration work.
  • Small businesses may be particularly interested in contracting opportunities available through the HQ USACE Small Business Office. Information and points of contact may be found at https://www.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Small-Business/.  Subcontracting opportunities usually result through partnerships with larger companies. Firms interested in pursuing such possibilities can find information from the U.S. Small Business Association at https://www.sba.gov.

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