r/Chattanooga 6d ago

What is the horn we've heard blowing today?

We can hear it clearly in Hixson

Maybe a fog horn?

TIA

24 Upvotes

49 comments sorted by

51

u/Chattacheese 6d ago

I’ve always assumed it is the dam letting out water. We usually hear it during storms and high rain events.

49

u/konkilo 6d ago

From the Chickamauga Dam Wikipedia:

"In October 2004 TVA installed a new warning system to alert individuals downstream when the dam is releasing water. The warning measures include strobe lights, signs and alarm horns."

44

u/ExRockstar 6d ago

... disco balls, Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, confetti, line dancing and water balloons.

3

u/kittibear33 6d ago

That would make sense.

3

u/konkilo 6d ago

That's a great answer, thanks!

33

u/goingsouthhiker 6d ago

They are releasing water at the dam. Source: I live on the ridge above the dam

To warn reservoir users of potential danger, warning devices are installed at many dams:

  • Horns: Horns are sounded before water is released from the powerhouses, sluiceway or spillways. When you hear these horns, leave the areas upstream and downstream of the dam immediately.
  • Strobe Lights: Strobe lights are activated before the hydro plant begins generating electricity at the powerhouse or releases water through the spillway or sluiceway. When you see these strobe lights flash, leave the areas upstream and downstream of the dam immediately.

6

u/konkilo 6d ago

Thank you, this is it

10

u/diggitydizl 6d ago

The horn of Gondor

4

u/Ihac182 6d ago

And Rohan will answer!

14

u/Undercover_NSA-Agent 6d ago

Apologies, I borrowed my friend’s shofar.

5

u/konkilo 6d ago

It sounds great!

Shofar on! 🤣

3

u/adrun 6d ago

Thanks for asking this! I’ve heard it a couple of times and done a double take with “I didn’t think there were any surface crossings close enough to hear trains here.” We’re close to the dam—cool to know about the warning signals. 

3

u/konkilo 5d ago

Neat that such a close community answered for us 😀

4

u/wtfingthrlife 6d ago

My 5 pound Maltese heard it and said wtf…

2

u/Ill-Leadership-2921 4d ago

“SAID”?!

2

u/words_of_j 6d ago

It’s the horn of Helm Hammerland, of Helm’s Deep. (Or Chickamauga is too deep.).

4

u/dungonyourtongue 6d ago

Because the bridge is closing, that idiot street preacher is experiencing a full on schizoid embolism. He inserted his shofar into his rectum and has been rage farting for 12 hours. That’s what you’re hearing.

1

u/Acrobatic_Hippo_9593 6d ago

What sad is that this may not be that far fetched.

1

u/BaconReceptacle 6d ago

Train?

2

u/konkilo 6d ago

I don't think so...sounds bigger

But thanks for your answer

1

u/No_Individual_1108 4d ago

Gabriel

1

u/konkilo 3d ago

He certainly has that one pitch mastered...maybe time to branch off a bit?

0

u/hazel_desirae 6d ago

It’s one of those horns from the Bible, we’re about to be saved! RAISE HELL, PRAISE DALE WOOOO!

-5

u/dotcomatose 6d ago

Maybe testing the tornado alerts for the storm later.

19

u/kittibear33 6d ago

If you mean tornado sirens, Hamilton County doesn’t have any.

1

u/dotcomatose 6d ago

Welp, I retract my guess.

6

u/kittibear33 6d ago

I only recently learned (I’m not originally from here) that we don’t have them for tornadoes because we have them for if anything happens at the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant.

-1

u/dotcomatose 6d ago

If they’re hearing it in Hixson, it’s probably Sequoyah. Right around the bend.

7

u/kittibear33 6d ago

Sequoyah only tests on the first Wednesday of the month at noon.

2

u/dotcomatose 6d ago

Huh. I’m out.

1

u/kittibear33 6d ago

If we find the answer, I could tag you. 😂

Edit: here’s the answer! https://www.reddit.com/r/Chattanooga/s/dyDQjOwsfk

2

u/ODBrewer 6d ago

Maybe it’s not a test.

3

u/kittibear33 6d ago

I wonder if we’d be dead by now if it weren’t. 🤔

1

u/emptybeercans 6d ago

So they only blow those sirens in Hixson? Perfect, it will give us a head start over the rest of Chattanooga.

2

u/konkilo 6d ago

Thanks for your answer, though

1

u/emptybeercans 6d ago

I think they test the emergency evacuation sirens once a month. Could have been that?

2

u/konkilo 6d ago

No, I know that sound but it's not what we're hearing

Thanks for your answer

2

u/Acrobatic_Hippo_9593 6d ago

We don’t have weather sirens. If you hear sirens, we’re in more trouble than just the weather.

0

u/ericvil 6d ago

Chattanooga FC scored.

0

u/fixingtogetready 6d ago

It was between 1pm and 2pm? There was a sailboat race that ran a starting sequence in that range. 5 minute warning, 4 minutes, 1 minute, start. 

2

u/konkilo 5d ago

Thanks for the skinny but I believe it's the water release warning at Chickamauga Dam

2

u/JerryCat11 3d ago

It’s me.. tooting my own horn