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In Nelson County, the bodies of some people were never found; other washed as much as 25 miles (40 km) downstream along the creeks and rivers. The entire county was virtually cut off, with many roads and virtually all bridges, telephone and electric service interrupted. Total damage in the state
608:
The Tye River is home to dozens of species of fish and other aquatic life, including
American eels, small and largemouth bass, and native mussels. A dam was removed in 2007 to help facilitate fish migration. According to an official of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, "Removing
271:
hurricane stalled over mostly rural Nelson County, causing an unprecedented deluge of rain, mostly within a 3-hour period as people slept unaware of the threat. In the flash flooding and mudslides, entire communities were virtually wiped out, killing hundreds of
Virginians, some of whose bodies were
617:
Fishing and camping are popular activities along the Tye River. Sections of the Tye River are also popular for whitewater boating with canoes and kayaks. The rapids are rated Class I to Class II+. Depending upon water conditions some rapids on the Tye River can approach class III.
591:
bridge near
Norwood. Just below the latter crossing, the waters of the Tye River flowed into the James River. Joined by massive flooding from other tributaries, the James crested in Richmond at 28.6 feet (8.7 m) at the City Locks, swamping downtown areas and a substantial portion of South
556:. Mostly within only a three-hour period, it dumped a record quantity of 27 inches (690 mm) of rain. The rainfall was so heavy there were reports of birds drowning in trees and of survivors who had to cup their hands around mouth and nose in order to breathe through such a deluge.
559:
As many people slept unaware, the ensuing flash floods and mudslides killed 153 people, 22 in
Massies Mill alone. Across Nelson County, 133 bridges were washed out, while some entire communities were under water.
283:
erected a memorial in a small park which is dedicated to those who lost their lives and families in 1969. In modern times, the Tye River has become one of the more scenic and popular recreational waterways in
Virginia.
498:
in the 1920s. Later, the railroad was used to transport several types of minerals mined nearby in small quantities, but that activity ended by 1970. Passenger train service had ended in 1939, although
255:
Although normally it is one of the more minor tributaries of the James River, in August 1969, the Tye River was at the center of one of
Virginia's worst natural disasters. In the aftermath of
609:
the dam will increase the passage possibilities, and hopefully the populations of all these species. It will also allow for increased access for anglers, paddlers and boaters."
351:
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388:) at Tye River Gap and flows 8.7 miles (14.0 km) east, then southeast, to its confluence with the South Fork. The South Fork also rises along the Blue Ridge Parkway (
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148:
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and into
Virginia. It still carried incredible amounts of moisture and contained sufficient strength and low pressure to pull in additional moisture.
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537:, and caused additional flooding and deaths inland. The storm had lost strength as it crossed hundreds of miles of land, and was downgraded by the
1116:
272:
never found. Bridges, roads, railroads, and communications were severed for days, resulting in an estimated $ 140 million in property damages.
533:
storm, one of only three to strike the US mainland during the 20th century. The hurricane flattened nearly everything along the coast of
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As the remnants of the hurricane reached the area centered on Nelson County, the storm unexpectedly stalled on the eastern side of the
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which was under development in the early 21st century. The trail will eventually connect the James River with the
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trees, which were harvested for lumber transported by the railroad. However, these were largely decimated by
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From Nash, the Tye River proper flows generally southeastward through central Nelson County. The
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Sections of the former
Virginia Blue Ridge Railway along the Tye River are now part of the
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1000:
Hurricanes and the Middle
Atlantic States: A Surprising History; Jamestown to the Present
901:
Category 5: The Story of
Camille, Lessons Unlearned from America's Most Violent Hurricane
716:
Category 5: The Story of Camille, Lessons Unlearned from America's Most Violent Hurricane
703:
Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States: A Surprising History; Jamestown to the Present
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Every bridge across the Tye River was severed, including the major highway bridge for
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U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data.
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amounted to $ 140.8 million (1969 USD, $ 747 million 2005 USD).
517:
during one of the worst natural disasters in Virginia history. A few days earlier,
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is a tributary of the Tye. Each forms a portion of Nelson's western border with
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The Tye River rises at the confluence of the North and South forks of the river(
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44:, the Tye River is seen looking upstream just west of its confluence with the
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On the night of August 20, 1969, the headwaters of the Tye River were near
823:
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By Ernest Zebrowski, Judith A. Howard, University of Michigan Press, 2005
748:
653:
491:
221:
98:
509:
Flood damage along the Tye River, in the aftermath of Hurricane Camille
432:, and flows east 7.6 miles (12.2 km) to the North Fork at Nash.
952:
705:, By Rick Schwartz, Al Karr, Kevin Myatt, Blue Diamond Books, 2007,
35:
504:
279:, one of the hardest hit communities in the Camille disaster, the
443:. The Tye River enters the James River from the northwest near
490:
built in 1915. Originally, the area was heavily forested with
482:
Much of the upper course of the Tye River was bordered by the
824:"Panoramio - Photo of Confluence of the Tye and James Rivers"
870:
868:
545:
status as it moved northward along the eastern side of the
502:
was built nearby. In the 1980s, the tracks were abandoned.
977:. "Virginia Dept. of Emergency Management. Archived from
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Richmond, which had formerly been the separate city of
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rivers, by way of the James River it is part of the
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458:Towns and communities along the Tye River include
930:. Environmental Science Services Administration
568:saw 8 feet (2.4 m) of water downtown, and
923:United States Department of Commerce (1969).
8:
918:
916:
876:"Virginia Short Lines and Industrial Roads"
228:. Originating on the eastern slope of the
1088:United States Department of the Interior
267:a few days earlier, the remnants of the
899:Ernest Zebrowski and Judith A. Howard,
735:
925:"Hurricane Camille August 14-22, 1969"
903:, University of Michigan Press, 2005,
25:
1020:"Rivers Connect Us - American Rivers"
998:Rick Schwartz, Al Karr, Kevin Myatt,
743:
741:
739:
16:For the Tye River in Washington, see
7:
1079:Geographic Names Information System
1024:Rivers Connect Us - American Rivers
583:at the Amherst County line and the
576:had more than 5 feet (1.5 m).
212:is a 35.4-mile-long (57.0 km)
769:"(Hurricane Camille), (sculpture)"
14:
1122:Rivers of Nelson County, Virginia
344:. The North Fork rises near the
34:
1084:United States Geological Survey
428:), southwest of the village of
1117:Tributaries of the James River
1045:"Nelson Downriver Race - 2005"
340:, on the eastern slope of the
142: • coordinates
1:
76:Physical characteristics
1002:, Blue Diamond Books, 2007,
975:"Virginia's Weather History"
190: • elevation
106: • elevation
669:GPX (secondary coordinates)
484:Virginia Blue Ridge Railway
419:South Fork Tye River source
379:North Fork Tye River source
259:, which had devastated the
130: • location
94: • location
1138:
949:"The Inflation Calculator"
23:River in the United States
15:
664:GPX (primary coordinates)
639:Map all coordinates using
114:
80:
33:
849:"James River State Park"
758:, accessed April 1, 2011
647:Download coordinates as:
623:Blue Ridge Railway Trail
539:National Weather Service
474:, all in Nelson County.
686:List of Virginia rivers
521:had come ashore on the
338:Nelson County, Virginia
202:35.4 miles (57 km)
110:1,270 feet (390 m)
54:Nelson County, Virginia
525:near the mouth of the
510:
449:James River State Park
42:James River State Park
18:Tye River (Washington)
659:GPX (all coordinates)
547:Appalachian Mountains
508:
332:), at the village of
194:350 feet (110 m)
853:www.dcr.virginia.gov
554:Blue Ridge Mountains
342:Blue Ridge Mountains
230:Blue Ridge Mountains
1090:. 28 September 1979
488:short line railroad
408:37.8429°N 79.1530°W
403: /
368:37.8861°N 79.1475°W
363: /
312:37.8571°N 79.0462°W
307: /
160: /
1112:Rivers of Virginia
1049:nelsoncountyva.org
754:2012-03-29 at the
627:Blue Ridge Parkway
511:
346:Blue Ridge Parkway
691:Hurricane Camille
631:Appalachian Trail
527:Mississippi River
519:Hurricane Camille
453:Buckingham County
413:37.8429; -79.1530
373:37.8861; -79.1475
317:37.8571; -79.0462
257:Hurricane Camille
236:, and fed by the
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165:37.640°N 78.807°W
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798:ruralnelson.org
794:"Nelson County"
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756:Wayback Machine
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581:U.S. Route 29
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1092:. Retrieved
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1052:. Retrieved
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1039:
1027:. Retrieved
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999:
994:
983:. Retrieved
979:the original
969:
957:. Retrieved
953:the original
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932:. Retrieved
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883:. Retrieved
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856:. Retrieved
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831:. Retrieved
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806:. Retrieved
802:the original
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776:. Retrieved
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620:
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604:Fish species
598:
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512:
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464:Massies Mill
457:
434:
336:in northern
291:
277:Massies Mill
274:
254:
209:
207:
1074:"Tye River"
574:Maury River
570:Buena Vista
566:South River
535:Mississippi
515:ground zero
437:Piney River
411: /
371: /
315: /
281:Sierra Club
265:Mississippi
220:in central
218:James River
168: /
135:James River
46:James River
1106:Categories
1094:2011-06-02
1054:20 October
1029:20 October
985:2006-05-28
959:2006-06-18
934:2011-06-02
885:20 October
858:2021-07-18
833:20 October
808:20 October
778:20 October
730:References
613:Recreation
594:Manchester
562:Waynesboro
531:Category 5
523:Gulf Coast
430:Montebello
417: (
398:79°09′11″W
395:37°50′34″N
377: (
358:79°08′51″W
355:37°53′10″N
321: (
302:79°02′46″W
299:37°51′26″N
269:Category 5
261:Gulf Coast
174: (
155:78°48′25″W
152:37°38′24″N
589:main line
472:Tye River
246:watershed
214:tributary
210:Tye River
176:Tye River
29:Tye River
752:Archived
680:See also
629:and the
492:chestnut
468:Roseland
222:Virginia
99:Virginia
61:Location
572:on the
564:on the
478:History
445:Norwood
248:of the
242:Buffalo
224:in the
216:of the
66:Country
50:Norwood
48:, near
1006:
907:
773:si.edu
722:
709:
288:Course
199:Length
124:
88:
85:Source
928:(PDF)
529:as a
238:Piney
120:Mouth
1056:2015
1031:2015
1004:ISBN
905:ISBN
887:2015
835:2015
810:2015
780:2015
720:ISBN
707:ISBN
486:, a
470:and
460:Tyro
334:Nash
240:and
208:The
654:KML
587:'s
541:to
451:in
275:In
263:of
232:in
52:in
1108::
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915:^
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348:(
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20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
