The Tugaloo River (originally Tugalo River ) is a 45.9-mile-long (73.9 km) river that forms part of the border between the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina . It was named for the historic Cherokee town of Tugaloo at the mouth of Toccoa Creek , south of present-day Toccoa, Georgia and Travelers Rest State Historic Site in Stephens County, Georgia .
31-635: It is fed by the Tallulah River and the Chattooga River , which each form an arm of Lake Tugalo , on the edge of Georgia's Tallulah Gorge State Park . The Tugaloo flows out of the lake via Tugaloo Dam , passing into Lake Yonah and through Yonah Dam . The river ends as an arm of Lake Hartwell , as does South Carolina's Seneca River which is formed by the confluence of the Keowee River and Twelvemile Creek. Below Lake Hartwell , it
62-599: A result of the impounded water in the reservoir. For instance, plans would cause the flooding of their Memorial Stadium . After countless meetings, Clemson finally settled with the government, agreeing to two diversion dams to be built in the vicinity of Clemson College in order to rechannel the Seneca River around its property. Since its construction, Hartwell Reservoir has provided good fishing habitat for many species. Bream , catfish , smallmouth bass , walleye , and largemouth bass are naturally occurring species in
93-657: A rich history of indigenous settlement, dating to before the Mississippian culture period, which began about 800 CE. Numerous villages and platform mounds were built by people of that culture, along the upper tributaries of the Savannah River, such as the Chauga, Tugaloo, and Seneca rivers. The Cherokee Indians settled throughout much of this Piedmont and mountainous area, declaring it their homeland. Initial relations with colonists were through trading, but after
124-680: A river in the US state of Georgia is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in South Carolina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tallulah River The Tallulah River ( / t ə ˈ l uː l ə / tə- LOO -lə ) is a 47.7-mile-long (76.8 km) river in Georgia and North Carolina . It begins in Clay County, North Carolina , near Standing Indian Mountain in
155-604: A team from the University of Georgia in this work, especially from 1957 to 1959. Lake Hartwell is named for the American Revolutionary War figure Nancy Hart . Nancy Hart lived in the Georgia frontier, and was known for her devotion to freedom. A county, city, lake, state park and highway among others, bear her name. 1989 was the first year the lake hit a level 3, dropping to its lowest level during
186-778: Is about 14.3 miles (23 km) long, draining a 56.5 square mile (146 km ) area. Annually, the area receives at least 72 inches of rainfall and is entirely within the boundaries of the Chattahoochee National Forest . About one-third of the land falls within the Southern Nantahala Wilderness and about one-fifth is privately owned. The primary tributaries of the Tallulah River in Rabun County are Coleman River and Persimmon Creek. The upper Tallulah River Basin
217-558: Is as scenic as it is rugged. The highest elevations are found in North Carolina on Standing Indian Mountain , elevation 5,499 feet, where the Tallulah River headwaters are located. After coming into Georgia and passing through the old mining and logging town of Tate City, Georgia in eastern Towns County, the river enters into what is known as Tallulah’s upper gorge , or the Rock Mountain Gorge. This upper "gorge"
248-519: Is called the Savannah River . Competing state territorial claims to the river and its islands were settled with the Treaty of Beaufort in 1787, as interpreted in the two Georgia v. South Carolina cases before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1922 and 1989. The river is one of the boundaries of the Treaty of Hopewell and the Treaty of New York (1790) . The river's watershed is home to some of
279-592: Is far less dramatic that the more famous Tallulah Gorge. It starts just upstream from the river’s confluence with Coleman River and runs nearly 3 miles (5 km) past Rock Mountain on the western side of the river. The scenic "gorge" is accessible via a drive along the Tallulah River Road (Forest Service Road 70). The Tallulah River Road follows an old railroad bed before ending in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness and provides
310-633: Is part of the Tugaloo River Historic Corridor that includes sites from later periods of history, extending south along the river to the former area of the historic Tugaloo town of the Cherokee. The name of the river comes from Tugaloo (ᏚᎩᎷᏱ), a historic Cherokee town that was located along the river near the mouth of Toccoa Creek. 34°26′37″N 82°51′22″W / 34.44361°N 82.85611°W / 34.44361; -82.85611 This article related to
341-695: The Revolutionary War , European-American settlers increasingly encroached on Cherokee territory. They have since named many streams, rivers and recreation areas after the historic Cherokee and Muscogee Creek, who were among the Five Civilized Tribes removed from the Southeast under President Andrew Jackson in the 1830s. Other historic figures who lived around this area were Andrew Pickens and John C. Calhoun , both statesmen from South Carolina. The botanist William Bartram traveled
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#1732776764427372-593: The Southern Nantahala Wilderness and flows south into Georgia, crossing the state line into Towns County . The river travels through Rabun County and ends in Habersham County . It cuts through the Tallulah Dome rock formation to form the Tallulah Gorge and its several waterfalls (collectively known as Tallulah Falls ). The Tallulah River intersects with the Chattooga River to form
403-715: The Tugaloo River at Lake Tugalo in Habersham County. It joins South Carolina 's Seneca River at Lake Hartwell (also created by a dam upriver) to form the Savannah River , which flows southeastward into the Atlantic Ocean . From its headwaters to its confluence with the Tugaloo River, the Tallulah River is approximately 48 miles (77 km) long. The Tallulah River Basin drains approximately 184 square miles (480 km ), as measured at
434-549: The Cherokee. 34°42′58″N 83°21′09″W / 34.7162056°N 83.3523856°W / 34.7162056; -83.3523856 Lake Hartwell Lake Hartwell is a man-made reservoir bordering Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing parts of the Savannah , Tugaloo , and Seneca rivers. Lake Hartwell is one of the Southeastern United States' largest recreation lakes. The lake
465-473: The Georgia side and 3,935 feet (1,199 m) long on the South Carolina side. The 12,400 foot (3,800 m) long dam was to be topped with a roadway 24 feet (7.3 m) wide. The main dam was to consist of two non-overflow concrete sections on the right and left banks 887 feet (270 m) and 940 feet (290 m) long, respectively; a gravity-type concrete spillway 588 feet (179 m) long equipped with 12 tainter gates 26 by 40 feet (7.9 by 12.2 m) in
496-801: The Seneca to the mouth of the Little River, South Carolina; 2 miles (3.2 km) up the Little River to the Newry site; and 7 miles (11 km) up the Keowee to the Old Pickens site. The reservoir would cover 56,500 acres (22,900 ha) and would involve the relocation of 3 sections of railroad totaling 2 miles (3.2 km), the raising of 2 railroad bridges, construction of 6 sections of new state high- ways, totaling 19.6 miles (31.5 km), and 9 sections of county roads totaling 12.7 miles (20.4 km);
527-579: The Tallulah Falls Hydroelectric Plant in Habersham County, Georgia , near the lower end of the Tallulah Gorge. The lower part of the river includes a string of man-made lakes along the river created by hydroelectric dams operated by Georgia Power . The first (and northernmost) lake in the series is Lake Burton , which is followed by Lake Seed , Lake Rabun , and Lake Tallulah Falls . From Tallulah Falls Lake,
558-607: The area easily accessible to visitors. The Flood Control Act of May 17, 1950 authorized the Hartwell Dam and Reservoir as the second unit in the comprehensive development of the Savannah River Basin. The estimated cost was $ 68.4 million based on 1948 price levels and preliminary designs. The original project provided for a gravity-type concrete dam 2,415 feet (736 m) long with earth embankments at either end, which would be 6,050 feet (1,840 m) long on
589-572: The area recording vegetation types and plant species. In August 1956, Eliza Brock and her daughter refused to allow workmen to come on their property to begin clearing for the reservoir area. The government had gained ownership of 103 acres (42 ha) of land in June 1956, but apparently Brock never received the offer for her land. After an October 1956 federal ruling, Brock settled on accepting $ 6,850 for her property. In late 1956, Clemson College objected to damage that would be done to its property as
620-490: The channel; and a powerhouse on the South Carolina side of the river. Full power pool was designed to be 660 feet (200 m) above mean sea level . At this elevation, the reservoir would extend 7.1 miles (11.4 km) up the Savannah River to the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers; 41 miles (66 km) up the Tugaloo to within approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) of the existing Yonah Dam ; 27 miles (43 km) up
651-550: The construction of 9 new bridges and the raising of 4 existing bridges, and the relocation of 2 power transmission lines. Construction of the Hartwell project took place from 1955 and was completed in 1963. Construction of the dam started in 1955 and was finished in 1959. Salvage archeological excavations were conducted at several sites in an effort to recover artifacts and information from prehistoric and historic sites that would be inundated by Lake Hartwell. Joseph Caldwell led
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#1732776764427682-516: The drought that year. 2008 was the second time the lake hit a level 3. In December 2008, due to severe drought in the southeastern United States, the lake dropped to more than 22 feet (6.7 m) below its normal water level. This revealed old highways that were typically underwater, exposed islands that are usually topped with buoys to warn boaters, and left some boat shells sitting on dry land. The Lake reached its lowest level, 637.49 feet (194.31 m), on December 9, 2008. The highest lake elevation
713-486: The lake, with quality fishing available for those species. The most popular fishing on Lake Hartwell, however, has been of striped bass. Striped Bass , also known as rock fish and normally a saltwater fish, were discovered able to survive in freshwater after the construction of a dam on the Santee-Cooper system in lower South Carolina trapped many striped bass in fresh water. Striped bass were eventually introduced to
744-419: The lower part of the river flows through the Tallulah Gorge and now ends as an arm of Lake Tugalo , the other arm of the lake being formed by the Chattooga River . Starting at a point about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) downstream from the dam for Tallulah Falls Lake , the boundary line between Habersham and Rabun counties follows the course of the Tallulah River to its end. The upper Tallulah River Basin drains to
775-673: The mid to late-16th century; for instance, they had built a townhouse by the late sixteenth century at the Coweeta Creek site on the upper Little Tennessee River in present-day North Carolina. The Overhill Cherokee also used the term, and were known to have a town called Tallulah, located on the portion of the Little Tennessee that flowed on the west side of the Appalachian Mountains. Muscogee Creek also occupied part of this area before being pushed out by
806-558: The most challenging whitewater in the Southeast , luring sport kayakers and canoeists from all over the country. Cherokee, pioneer and antebellum history are being highlighted by developments of the Stephens County Foundation along the river. South of Yonah Dam was the former site of Estatoe, a historic Cherokee town. Tugaloo Bend Heritage Park is an 87-acre park established here to interpret this history. It
837-505: The only access to Tate City, North Carolina . Heavily wooded today, the upper Tallulah River Basin was stripped nearly bare by clear-cut logging in the 1930s before the Chattahoochee National Forest was established. Although Georgians have long assumed that Tallulah was a Cherokee language word, given the prominence of Cherokee history in the state, scholars dispute the derivation of the river's name. This area
868-413: The portion of the Tallulah River that is upstream from Lake Burton. This includes northwestern Rabun County, northeastern Towns County and part of Clay County, North Carolina. The United States Geological Survey collects data for the upper Tallulah River Basin from its gauging station at the point where the river crosses Plum Orchard Road. The upper Tallulah River Basin includes a section of the river that
899-423: Was 665.4 feet (202.8 m), reached on April 8, 1964. Overall the average lake elevation is 657.5 feet (200.4 m). As of the first of October 2010, the lake had returned to just over 654 feet (199 m). This rebound in lake level is due to releases from the lake being suspended for a month ending April 10, 2009, in an effort to return Lake Hartwell to normal elevations. The area around Lake Hartwell has
930-679: Was created by the construction of the Hartwell Dam , completed in 1962 and located on the Savannah River seven miles (11 km) below the point at which the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers join to form the Savannah. Extending 49 miles (79 km) up the Tugaloo and 45 miles (72 km) up the Seneca at normal pool elevation, the lake comprises nearly 56,000 acres (230 km ) of water with a shoreline of 962 miles (1,548 km). The entire Hartwell "Project" contains 76,450 acres (309 km ) of land and water. I-85 bisects Hartwell Lake and makes
961-458: Was long part of the extensive Cherokee homelands in the Southeast. Tourism promoters in the late 19th century said that tallulah meant "thundering waters" in Cherokee. Some scholars later theorized that tallulah meant “terrible” in Cherokee, or was possibly derived from a number of other words. It is more likely that there is no translation for the word. Based on archeological studies, the Cherokee appear to have settled some of their homeland by