The Undeniable Power of Water

Water is life—but it's also one of nature's most formidable forces. When Hurricane Helene tore through the Appalachian Mountains in October 2024, it served as a stark reminder that the crystal-clear water we enjoy in our swimming pools is the same element that can reshape entire landscapes in a matter of hours. In this deeply personal episode of Rule Your Pool, host Eric Knight reflects on the devastating power of water and what it means for those of us who work with it every day.

When Nature Reclaims Control

The recent hurricane season hit particularly close to home for Knight, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. While his area typically experiences hurricanes as manageable wind and rain events, Hurricane Helene was different. Even 80 miles inland from the worst devastation, Charlotte saw unprecedented damage.

We in Charlotte had hundreds of trees that just uprooted and came out of the ground. The ground got so saturated that these old oak trees, particularly these pin oak trees, I've learned based on seeing what fell down, they don't really have roots that go very deep. So they're just toppling over, taking out power lines, blocking roads.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

But the real devastation occurred in western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and northern Georgia—areas completely unprepared for hurricane-force destruction. These mountainous regions, with their narrow creek beds and towns nestled in valleys, became death traps when trillions of gallons of water came rushing downhill.

The statistics are staggering: over 24 inches of rain fell in under 36 hours on already saturated ground. In Asheville, the Swannanoa River rose 26.1 feet, while downstream areas experienced 31-foot floods. Entire communities like Chimney Rock simply vanished, replaced by river gorges 12-20 feet lower than where parking lots once stood.

The Physics of Destruction

To understand the catastrophic power witnessed during these storms, Knight breaks down the basic physics of water. At 8.34 pounds per gallon, with 7.48 gallons per cubic foot, water weighs approximately 64 pounds per cubic foot—and that's just clean water. Floodwater carrying silt, debris, and earth weighs significantly more.

In a cubic foot of water, there's 7.48 gallons. Multiply 8.34 by 7.48 and you get 62.383 pounds per cubic foot. I'm going to round that up to 64 just because we're not dealing with distilled water. 64 pounds per cubic foot.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

When you multiply this weight across the trillions of gallons that fell during the hurricane, the destructive potential becomes clear. Knight's friend Will, who ventured into the disaster zone to help with rescue efforts, described seeing "18 wheelers wrapped around trees 12 feet off the ground" and "houses smashed into hillsides." The devastation was, in Will's words, "biblical."

The Constants We Can Count On

In his work educating pool professionals, Knight often discusses the constants in their industry—things beyond human control that must be respected and worked with rather than against. Gravity tops this list, followed by hydraulics and natural chemical laws.

These same constants played a crucial role in the hurricane's destruction. Gravity pulled trillions of gallons of water downhill through narrow mountain valleys. Saturated soil couldn't hold the root systems of massive trees. The laws of physics that govern water in swimming pools also govern floodwater—the scale is simply magnified exponentially.

Sometimes when I teach classes, I remind people, especially pool pros, what constants do we actually have in our business? You know, we can't control the weather. We can't control pricing. We can't control traffic. We can't control gas prices. What constants can we always rely on, whether we control them or not? And I start with gravity.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

Domesticating the Beast

This brings us to the central metaphor of the episode: swimming pools represent our attempt to domesticate one of nature's most powerful elements. In our backyards, we contain hundreds of thousands of pounds of water, filter it, circulate it, chemically treat it, and sometimes heat it for our enjoyment. But this convenience shouldn't make us forget what we're really dealing with.

Even a residential pool contains an enormous amount of water weight. Commercial pools can hold millions of pounds. Knight recalls his college pool, which held over a million gallons—representing more than 8 million pounds of water. If released suddenly, this mass would cause tremendous damage.

The key insight for swimmers, pool professionals, and pool owners alike is that fighting water is futile. The fastest swimmers aren't necessarily the strongest—they're the ones who create the least drag and work with water rather than against it.

The fastest swimmers in the world are not necessarily the biggest and the strongest. They are the people who create the least amount of drag. They don't fight water. They're incredibly good at staying rigid and high up in the water, grabbing water and getting out of its way. Using water instead of trying to push through it.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

Lessons in Humility and Preparedness

The hurricane's aftermath revealed both the worst and best of humanity. While official disaster response was reportedly slow and inadequate, Knight was inspired by the thousands of volunteers who stepped up. Citizens from other states trucked in bulldozers, excavators, and heavy equipment. Working-class people donated their time to clear roads and rescue stranded residents, expecting nothing in return.

This grassroots response offers lessons for pool professionals and homeowners alike. We cannot always depend on authorities or outside help when things go wrong. Preparation, community support, and respect for natural forces become essential.

Knight's wife's company organized supply drives, collecting tarps, shop vacs, and recovery equipment for affected areas. These practical items—often overlooked in favor of food and clothing donations—proved crucial for the long-term recovery effort.

Respect, Don't Fight

The episode's central message extends far beyond disaster preparedness. Whether you're maintaining a backyard pool, designing commercial aquatic facilities, or simply enjoying a swim, the principle remains the same: respect water's power rather than fighting against it.

For pool professionals, this means understanding and working with natural chemical processes rather than trying to force unnatural conditions. For homeowners, it means regular maintenance and proper safety measures. For swimmers, it means technique that works with water's properties rather than against them.

Water isn't governed by us. It never will be. Water is governed by laws of nature. Rules like gravity. Water wants to return to its natural state. And I think these devastating storms are a reminder that it is a lot more powerful than you and me. And we would do well to not forget that.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

Knight acknowledges that this episode differs dramatically from typical pool chemistry discussions, but the underlying principles remain relevant. The same element that brings joy and relaxation in controlled environments can reshape entire landscapes when unleashed. Understanding and respecting this duality is essential for anyone who works with or enjoys water.

As communities in western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and surrounding areas begin the long process of rebuilding, they do so with a renewed appreciation for water's power. For the rest of us, the lesson is clear: we can enjoy and utilize water's benefits, but we must never forget that we're not truly in control. We're simply borrowing a small portion of one of Earth's most powerful forces—and we'd better treat it with the respect it deserves.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction - Recording After the Storms
• 02:30 Hurricane Helene's Impact on Charlotte and Western NC
• 08:15 The Physics of Water - Weight and Destructive Power
• 12:45 Recovery Efforts and Community Response
• 18:20 Constants in Pool Care and Natural Forces
• 22:10 Swimming Technique - Working With Water, Not Against It
• 25:30 Domesticating Water in Swimming Pools
• 28:45 Lessons in Respect and Humility