HELEN, Ga. -- After several hours of flooding overnight, officials in a Georgia town known for its Bavarian history say waters are starting to calm.
But they also fear what could happen if they begin rising once more.
Helen's mayor, Jeff Ash said it's some of the worst floodings in more than a decade. The manager of The Troll Tavern, along Main Street, said water came up over the patio. They haven't seen flooding to this extent since 2004.
She even said they saw picnic tables and a fridge flow down the river.
It was a nightmare after another for those living at the Airstream RV Park up in the National Forest. In March, they also got slammed with a tornado.
Wednesday morning, Helen city manager Jerry Elkins said the waters of the Chattahoochee River were only inches away from rising out of the banks as the town dealt with what 4 to 5 hours of flooding brought their way.
Elkins said the intersection of Brucken Strasse and Edelweiss Strasse was blocked overnight and rising waters overtook the city's new Veteran's Park. At least one car was damaged and light flooding was also reported in the popular Troll Tavern which sits right along the river.
Water has also caused flooding of Cool River Tubing which typically offers floating trips down the river. However, they have also closed due to the flooding and won't open again for at least two days.
Elkins also stressed that no one tries to take to the river on their own - whether tubing or swimming - until the dangerous flood currents have subsided.
PHOTOS: Chattahoochee rises in and around Helen
Even with the river returning into its banks in town, residents and 11Alive viewers reported - and recorded - the rapids flowing violently downstream.
Debbie Pippen shared a video of white-water conditions near the Nora Mill Granary. 11Alive's Chris Holcomb said that more rain and runoff will keep draining into the river in the coming hours.
And that could be bad news for Helen and surrounding White County. The county's public safety director, David Murphy, said infrastructure damage from flooding and rainfall "will run in the millions."
So far, Carolina Springs and Bean Creek roads were reported as damaged and Sandy Flats Road was closed completely.
Georgia Highway 75 from Helen to Hiawassee, Georgia was also closed because of two spots along the highway that have washed away. But GDOT has confirmed that State Route 75 has been reopened.
Elsewhere in the county waters washed away Top of Georgia Airstream Park which sits along Andrews Creek.
The water peaked around 1 a.m. Wednesday at 6.44 feet - roughly half a foot past flood stage. Since then it has dropped to about 4 feet which puts it just inside "action" stage.
The national weather service has issued a flash flood watch until 2 a.m. Thursday for North Georgia.
The warning follows previous counts of 5 to 7 inches of rain with a projection of .5 to 1.5 inches more in the next 24 hours.
There are many big events in Helen this weekend starting with town's 45th Annual Balloon Race on Thursday. The event brings in a lot of money so the city is hoping the rain holds off.
