Quick answer
For water damage in Calhoun, GA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. If Calhoun Utilities sends your bill and the leak is at the meter or in the road, call its 24-hour line at 706-629-2758. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours, before mold sets in.
Do this first
After-hours water lines.
- Shut off the water. Close your main valve, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. Calhoun Utilities provides water across Gordon County; if it sends your bill and the leak is at the meter or in the road, call its 24-hour line at 706-629-2758.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. Crawlspaces, basements, and slab homes with carpet hold moisture longer than they look.
FEMA's flood map puts about 16% of the land inside Calhoun in the high-risk flood zone, mostly along Oothkalooga Creek, Oostanaula River, and Blackwood Creek. The map panels for this area took effect between 2007 and 2018. Check your own address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. Never drive or walk through moving water, and treat floodwater as contaminated.
What to know about water damage in Calhoun
20.21 ft
The record crest of Oothkalooga Creek at the GA 53 Spur in Calhoun, on December 29, 2015. Flooding starts at 18 feet, and the creek passed it again in February 2019 and March 2021.
Source: National Water Prediction Service, Oothkalooga Creek at Calhoun
Where the creek meets the river
Calhoun sits on the Oostanaula River where Oothkalooga Creek joins it. The Oostanaula gauge at Calhoun starts flooding at 21 feet; its record is 34.15 feet, from February 1990.
Sources: Wikipedia, National Water Prediction Service
One utility for the county
Calhoun Utilities supplies water inside the city and across unincorporated Gordon County, including Fairmount, Plainville, and Resaca. Its 24-hour call center handles leaks and sewer problems.
Sources: Georgia DCA, Calhoun Utilities
Hurricane Helene
Helene dropped an estimated 7 to 8 inches of rain on Gordon County on September 26 and 27, 2024. A tree came down on Scott Brown Road and Fairmount Highway, and a road flooded near SR 3 and I-75.
4 damaged homes
After the April 2011 tornadoes and storms, 18 homeowners in ZIP 30701 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 4 homes, totaling about $23,841. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in 30701
The median home in ZIP 30701 was built in 1987; 42% were built before 1980 and 70% are owner-occupied.
25 flood insurance claims
Since 1990, the National Flood Insurance Program has recorded 25 flood claims on buildings in ZIP 30701. The most came in 2013, with 5. Of those, 8 were on buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zone. Buildings without flood insurance are not counted.
Source: FEMA NFIP claims data (OpenFEMA)
Check your ZIP
How often does Gordon County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 30 flash flood warnings that included Gordon County from 2016 through November 11, 2026, peaking at 5 in 2020. Each one means flooding is happening or about to happen.
Source: our count from the National Weather Service warning archive, Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Cost and insurance in Calhoun
How much does water damage restoration cost in Calhoun?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). River and creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Crawlspaces, basements, and older homes take longer.
Other Gordon County numbers
Septic backup
The Gordon County Environmental Health office handles septic permits and failing systems: 706-624-1440. For a public health emergency after hours, the state line is 1-866-782-4584.
Emergency management
Gordon County EMA posts storm and flood updates and coordinates shelters and road closures: 706-602-2905. Call 911 for anyone in danger.
Source: Gordon County
Power outage
More than one utility serves Gordon County, so call the one on your power bill. It depends on your address.
- Calhoun Utilities, city customers: 706-629-2758
- Georgia Power: 888-891-0938
- North Georgia EMC: 706-629-3160 (Calhoun office)
- Amicalola EMC: 706-253-0359 (Jasper), 706-276-0359 (Ellijay), 706-864-0359 (Dahlonega)
Sources: each utility's outage page; county list from Georgia 811
Water removal and restoration in Calhoun
The company that answers handles water from the Oostanaula River or Oothkalooga Creek, a low yard, or storm runoff, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Calhoun questions
Who do I call about a leak at the meter or in the road?
Calhoun Utilities' 24-hour call center for leaks and sewer problems is 706-629-2758, and its weekday line is 706-602-5850. If another provider bills you, use the number on that bill. If you have no water bill, you are on a private well.
How high does the Oostanaula get at Calhoun?
The Calhoun gauge starts minor flooding at 21 feet and moderate flooding at 30 feet. Its top crests were 34.15 feet in February 1990, 29.97 feet in December 2015, and 29.71 feet in March 1980.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 30701, including Calhoun and nearby parts of the county. For Sugar Valley, see the Sugar Valley page.
Related guides
Other Georgia towns- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Water mitigation vs. restoration
- Mold after water damage
- Mold remediation cost
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
- Water in the crawl space
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: