Debris torn from Western North Carolina and East Tennessee by flooding rivers largely dumped into one East Tennessee reservoir, and the cleanup of a hazardous debris field is taking the coordination of local, state and federal agencies.

Three rivers that swelled to deadly levels during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27 – the French Broad, Nolichucky and Pigeon – start in North Carolina and empty into Douglas Lake. They transformed the waters of the popular recreation and fishing destination to brown muck and left a one-square-mile island of wreckage after the historic floods.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency warned residents to stay off the lake until further notice, as the debris could be dangerous or even deadly, though the agency did not provide a specific timeline for the cleanup. Two other state agencies issued a boating safety advisory and a water contact advisory in October.

Lined with vacation homes against a scenic mountain backdrop, Douglas Lake is mostly within Jefferson County, though it also touches Cocke, Hamblen and Sevier counties. In the days after the flooding, Douglas Dam released around 450,000 gallons of water a second and helped the Tennessee Valley Authority prevent $406 million in flood damage, though some downstream communities experienced flooding.

TEMA, which is leading the cleanup effort, hired TVA in early November to lead removal and disposal of the debris, TVA spokesperson Melissa Greene told Knox News. TVA owns and operates Douglas Dam, the hydroelectric facility that impounds the French Broad River to create the lake.

Multiple federal agencies help TEMA clean Douglas Lake

TVA installed a 4,000-foot floating boom across the lake upstream of Dandridge on Oct. 3 to catch debris and protect infrastructure downstream. The utility also added floating buoys and lights to warn boaters.

Photos and videos showed a debris field largely composed of splintered wood, though it appeared to contain household items and parts of buildings as well.

Federal agencies involved in the cleanup include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to TEMA.

TEMA did not specify the exact roles of the federal agencies supporting the effort.

“We are committed to restoring normal conditions and protecting the well-being of the community throughout this process,” TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said.

After setting up the agency relationships, the next step is removing the debris with equipment both on land and water, according to a TEMA webpage about the cleanup. The agencies will then set up temporary disposal sites, organize the debris and haul it away.

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

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MONTEREY — A 19-year-old woman from North Carolina was killed in a hit-and-run collision on State Route 1 on Sunday, according to a news release from the California Highway Patrol.

The woman was identified as Maddie Elizabeth Fletcher, a 19-year-old from Shelby, North Carolina, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 9:47 a.m., the Monterey Communication Center received a report of a crash, authorities said. Fletcher was driving a black Honda Civic in the first lane northbound on SR-1 north of Munras Avenue. A vehicle had been driving in the second lane to the right side and behind Fletcher’s car when it veered into the first lane and hit the back of the Honda Civic, CHP said.

The Honda lost control and veered off the road, authorities said, where it then began to overturn before crashing into a tree. The car came to stop on its wheels facing south on a dirt embankment.

The car that hit Fletcher’s car, which was unidentified, fled the scene and continued driving northbound on SR-1, CHP said. The driver of the vehicle has not been identified. Authorities do not know whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, authorities added.

Fletcher was pronounced deceased at the scene due to fatal injuries sustained in the crash, CHP said.

CHP is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the driver of the unidentified vehicle. Anyone with information can contact the CHP Monterey Area Office at (831) 796-2160 24 hours per day or at (831) 770-8000 during business hours.

Police have released the identity of a child who was shot and killed in North Carolina on Sunday.

Quazariya G. Williams, 7, was pronounced dead at Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg, North Carolina, Maxton police said, according to local news station WBTW.

The man alleged to have shot the child is 31-year-old Dedric Page, who police said fired shots into a car with five other people inside around 2 p.m. Sunday in Maxton. The condition of the other five people in the car is currently unknown.

Maxton is a town located about 40 miles southwest of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Page was arrested not long after the shooting. His charges include first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, discharging a firearm in city limits and possession of a firearm by a felon.

On Tuesday afternoon, Page was denied bond for two of his charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 26.

USA TODAY could not immediately contact Page’s lawyer for comment.

Victim remembered as cheerleader and ‘a sweet girl’

Maxton police Lieutenant Patrick Hunt told WBTW that Quazariya was remembered as a cheerleader and a “sweet girl who has a lot going on in her life.”

Police said the shooting happened following a dispute between Page and the girl’s mother.

On Sunday, Townsend Elementary School, where Quazariya was attending elementary school, posted a memorial for the 7-year-old.

“Q. Williams – Always on our minds and forever in our hearts – #Sleepwellourangel,” the Facebook post said.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.