Heavy rain on May 1 and 2, 2010 flooded areas near the Cumberland River, Mill Creek and the Harpeth River. The Cumberland crested at about 51.9 feet at Nashville according to one source, the highest since 1937, while another puts it at about 53 feet. A large retail centre in the Opryland area took about 10 feet of water. Recovery sanitation is planned on ground that has dried, with the waste hauled under the state's rules.
Key takeaways
- The heavy rain was on May 1 and 2, 2010.
- The Cumberland crest is reported at about 51.9 feet, the highest since 1937 by one source, and about 53 feet by another.
- Mill Creek and the Harpeth River also flooded, and placements near them are checked after heavy rain.
- The Opryland area's retail centre took about 10 feet of water.
- This page gives no rainfall total, because the sources range from about 14 to 20 inches and conflict.
- Recovery units are placed on firm, dry ground and waste is hauled under Tennessee's rules.
What did the rain and the rivers do?
Heavy rain flooded areas near the Cumberland River, Mill Creek and the Harpeth River over May 1 and 2, 2010.
The flood affected a wide area of the county, and the water rose on the Cumberland as the rain drained into it. The sources differ on the crest, and the planning should use the sources rather than one figure.
The Harpeth River and Mill Creek also flooded, so a recovery plan for any part of the county near those waterways should check the 2010 reach on the ground rather than from a map.
What is the crest figure?
One source puts the Cumberland at about 51.9 feet at Nashville, the highest since 1937. Another puts it at about 53 feet, and the sources differ.
The difference between the two figures is about a foot, which is enough to matter for a building's ground floor. A recovery plan should work from the crest recorded for the specific site, not the city figure.
The Nashville Public Library and a local television report are the sources named for the crest, and both are referred to here as the sources that differ.
| Source | Reported Cumberland crest at Nashville |
|---|---|
| One source (highest since 1937) | About 51.9 feet |
| Another source | About 53 feet |
| Rainfall total | Not stated; sources range from about 14 to 20 inches and conflict |
What happened in the Opryland area?
A large retail centre in the Opryland area took about 10 feet of water, according to a source in the search results.
The Opryland area sits beside the river, and the retail centre was one of the places that the water reached. Donelson, next to the Opryland area, is one of the neighborhoods where the flood history matters for planning.
A retail site with that history is planned for a recovery sanitation arrangement that is set on dry, firm ground before the crew returns.
How is recovery sanitation planned?
On ground that has dried and is firm, with the servicing and the hauling arranged before the crew returns, and the count set for the recovery crew.
Water leaves soft ground and a damaged sewer connection, and a unit placed on that ground can sink or tilt. The spot is checked for both before the unit is delivered.
The count is set for the recovery crew or the household using the site, and it is reviewed as the work moves on. The provider and the site lead agree the schedule for the drying period.
How is the waste handled?
Under the Tennessee septage rules, which require an annual hauler permit and disposal at an approved site.
The waste from a recovery unit is hauled like any other. The hauler's permit is checked, and the disposal site named on the record is checked against its own permit.
The records are kept with the rental file, so the site can show what was removed and where it went.
What should a site check before a unit goes in?
That the water has gone down, that the surface will hold a unit, that the sewer connection is safe, and that the hauler holds the Tennessee permit.
A building that was under water may still have a damaged sewer line or a loose utility. Those are checked with the owner and the utility before a unit is set beside the building.
A check after each heavy rain is a sensible habit for any spot near the Cumberland, Mill Creek or the Harpeth River.
How does recovery sanitation change over the weeks?
Early in the recovery the need is for a few units close to the work. As the building dries and the sewer is restored, the count falls and the units move to the rebuild crew.
Review the count weekly. A unit that was needed for a gutting crew may be needed for a rebuild crew later, and the provider can move it with the site lead's agreement.
Return the units once the sewer connection is safe to use, and confirm the pickup in writing so the unit is not left standing.
Who coordinates recovery sanitation?
The owner or the organizer of the recovery work coordinates it, with the provider doing the placement, servicing and hauling, and the local government setting any rule for its own streets.
Name one person as the contact for the units, so the provider knows who to call for a visit or a move.
Keep the contacts for the local office and the hauler on the same sheet as the placement plan.
How should a flood-recovery site handle a second storm?
A second heavy rain after the first can undo the drying work and move a unit that has settled. The site checks the pad, the anchor and the route after any storm, and the provider is called before the next visit.
A unit that was level after the first recovery can lean after a second storm. The check is quick, and the correction is cheaper than a failed visit.
The recovery crew should be told which days carry a storm forecast, so the servicing and the route can be planned around the weather rather than in response to it.
What about the river edge after a rise?
Ground along the river edge can stay soft for longer than the ground further from the water. Units are kept off that ground until it has dried and the pad has been checked.
A unit placed on soft river-edge ground can sink into it over a week, and the door can then stop closing. A pad on firm ground is the safer choice.
The river path and the bank are public and can be unstable after a rise, so the service route avoids them.
How long should the drying period be planned for?
There is no single figure. The drying period depends on the building, the ground and the weather, and the recovery plan sets its own schedule for the servicing and the placement during it.
Ground floors and cellars take longer than upper floors to dry, and a unit that serves a crew through the drying period needs a servicing plan that lasts as long as the work.
The provider and the site lead agree the schedule at the start and review it when the drying readings change. The schedule is written down so that every visit has a reason on the record.
What records help the recovery team?
A dated log of each unit's placement, each visit and each change of spot, kept with a photo of the ground at the time of placement.
A dated photo shows the ground before a unit was set, which is useful if the spot later needs to be explained to the owner or to the local office.
The log also shows how the count changed through the drying period, so the next phase is planned from the real use rather than an estimate.
Frequently asked questions
When was the flood?
Heavy rain fell on May 1 and 2, 2010.
How high did the Cumberland rise?
One source puts the crest at about 51.9 feet at Nashville, the highest since 1937, and another at about 53 feet.
What was the rainfall?
This page does not state a total, because the sources range from about 14 to 20 inches and conflict.
Can a unit go on flooded ground?
Only once the ground is dry and firm and clear of standing water and damaged utilities.
Where does flood waste go?
To an approved disposal site, under the Tennessee septage rules.
Sources
- Nashville Public Library, flood history (as cited in the search results)
- Metro Nashville
- State of Tennessee
This guide is general information for Davidson County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.