Roswell Water Damage Help, From Vickery Creek to the Chattahoochee

A Mill Town Shaped by Its Creek

Roswell began in the 1830s, when Roswell King saw that Vickery Creek could drive a cotton mill. The Roswell Mill grew into the largest in North Georgia, and a dam built to feed it still forms a waterfall just upstream of the covered pedestrian bridge. Today the city covers about 39 square miles of north Fulton County, with the Chattahoochee River along its entire southern edge.

Vickery Creek is the lower stretch of Big Creek, a 26.5-mile stream that starts near Cumming in Forsyth County and runs through Alpharetta before reaching Roswell. It meets the Chattahoochee where State Route 9 crosses the river. Because so much land drains into it upstream, a soaking rain to the north can push the creek up in Roswell hours later.

Rain averages about 52 inches a year and is spread fairly evenly across the calendar, so there is no real off-season for water damage in Roswell.

The 2009 Flood on Big Creek and Riverside Road

The September 2009 floods that swamped metro Atlanta hit Roswell's waterways hard. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a peak of 15.41 feet on its Big Creek gage below Hog Wallow Creek at Roswell. On Riverside Road, near the river, USGS photographed a combined stormwater and sewage overflow.

That second detail matters for homeowners. Water that has mixed with sewage is Category 3, the most contaminated class, and anything porous it touches, such as carpet, pad and drywall, usually has to be removed rather than dried. Professional flood damage restoration includes cleaning and sanitizing before any rebuilding begins.

The Chattahoochee also reached record levels that autumn. River levels here depend on releases from Buford Dam and Morgan Falls Dam as well as rain, so check conditions before walking the Riverwalk Trail during a wet stretch.

Drying Out Antebellum and Historic Homes

Roswell's 120-acre National Register historic district, listed in 1974, holds buildings dating from 1837 into the 1900s. Greek Revival homes such as Bulloch Hall and Barrington Hall, both from 1839, are part of it, along with mill-era worker housing known as The Old Bricks and historic stores on Mimosa Boulevard and Atlantic Street.

Older buildings take a lighter touch after a leak:

• Plaster and old wood. Original plaster walls, old wood floors and trim can often be dried in place with careful monitoring instead of being torn out.
• Slower drying. Dense old materials may need gentler, longer drying to avoid cracking or cupping.
• Documentation. Photos and moisture readings help if a historic material later needs to be matched or repaired.

Before demolition starts, ask the restoration company which materials it plans to save and which it must remove. For newer subdivisions, the standard approach in our water damage restoration overview applies.

Right After You Find Water in Your Roswell Home

1. Turn off the water. Find the main shutoff, or close the valve behind the toilet, sink or appliance that failed.
2. Watch for live wires. Avoid any standing water near outlets or electronics, and only switch off breakers you can reach safely.
3. Treat outside water as contaminated. Creek water, river water and sewer backups should be handled with gloves and boots, if at all.
4. Never drive into water over a road. In the 2009 flood, most Georgia deaths happened when people drove onto flooded roads.
5. Take photos first. Capture water lines, damaged belongings and the source before cleanup.
6. Get a crew started. Call (888) 817-5061 to reach a local company that can begin water extraction.

What a Restoration Company Does on Site

Most local providers follow a similar path. First, they confirm the source and the category of water and remove standing water with extraction equipment. Next comes moisture mapping with meters and thermal imaging to find water hiding under floors and in wall cavities.

Then the drying phase begins. Dehumidifiers and air movers stay on site, often for several days, and the crew logs readings as materials give up their moisture. Wet insulation and drywall are often cut out so framing can dry. Our structural drying page describes how crews decide when a room is truly dry.

Finally, water damage repair replaces what was removed. When reconstruction is part of the job, look up the contractor on the Georgia Secretary of State's license verification site, and ask about insurance and training such as IICRC certification.

Storm Damage Cleanup and Mold Concerns

Severe thunderstorms and tropical remnants such as Helene in 2024 bring heavy rain and gusty winds across north Fulton. When a limb or tree breaks through the roof, water can soak the attic and ceilings below before anyone notices. Tarp the opening only if it is safe, photograph everything, and ask for storm damage cleanup that includes drying, not just a roof patch.

Per EPA guidance, mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours on materials that stay wet. A musty odor, spotting on drywall or warped trim are signs it may be time for mold cleanup in Roswell rather than drying alone.

Georgia does not appear to have a state license specifically for mold assessors or remediators, according to an industry roundup of state rules, though we have not seen an official state statement confirming this. Ask for IICRC or comparable certification and for written moisture readings. Read more about mold removal.

Coverage, Records and City Contacts

Flooding from creeks or the river is usually left out of a regular homeowners policy; that protection comes from a separate NFIP or private flood policy. NFIP policies typically have a 30-day waiting period, so homes near Vickery Creek or the river should not wait for a storm forecast to buy coverage. Check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

• Keep photos, receipts and the restoration company's drying logs together in one folder.
• Sign up for ALERTRoswell, the city's free alert system for severe weather, flooding, outages and boil water advisories.
• For drainage problems on public systems, the city's Stormwater Utility can be reached at (770) 401-8349.

For help with the cleanup itself, call (888) 817-5061 any time, day or night. Neighbors upstream can visit our Alpharetta page, and those across the river to the south our Sandy Springs page.

Parts of Roswell and Nearby Communities We Cover

WaterQ's free referral line connects callers across Roswell and surrounding north metro cities with independent local restoration providers.

Neighborhoods

• Historic District
• Roswell Town Square
• Mimosa Boulevard
• Atlantic Street
• Roswell Mill area
• Vickery Creek area
• Riverside Road
• Holcomb Bridge Road corridor
• Crabapple Road area
• Pine Grove Road area

Nearby communities

• Alpharetta
• Milton
• Johns Creek
• Sandy Springs
• Peachtree Corners
• Mountain Park
• Marietta
• Dunwoody

Local emergency and flood resources

Official sources for alerts, flood maps and preparedness in and around Roswell:

• ALERTRoswell
• Roswell Stormwater Utility
• Roswell Report an Issue
• FEMA Flood Map Service Center