Flood — Richland, Ohio

2005-01-01 to 2005-01-20 · Richland, Ohio

Wider weather episode

Heavy rain and runoff from snowmelt caused widespread lowland flooding in Ashland, Knox, Morrow, Richland Counties during the first two-thirds of January. January 2005 was the wettest January ever at Mansfield Lahm Airport with 6.08 inches of precipitation during the month. Rainfall totals from Knox County included; 7.51 inches at Greer; 7.97 inches at Fredericktown; 8.28 inches at Danville and 9.99 inches at Centerburg all in Knox County. In addition to this rain, extensive snowpack existed over northern Ohio at the beginning of the month. Temperatures in the 50s the first three days of the month caused a rapid snowmelt and brought area streams and creeks to bankfull just in time for a significant winter storm on the 5th and 6th. Then, just as things began to return to normal, heavy rains fell on the area on the 11th, 12th and 13th causing conditions to once again worsen. Many streams and rivers in these counties left their banks and forced the closure of dozens of roads. Reservoirs in Ashland and Richland Counties established record high levels. The pool behind Charles Mills Dam reached it's highest level ever at 1,017 feet on January 16th. Swampy areas behind the dam flooded forcing the closure of U.S. Highway 42 between Ashland and Mansfield for 10 days. Water levels behind the Mohicanville Dam in eastern Ashland County came to within a couple feet of the all-time record. 8,800 acres behind the dam were flooded. Extensive flooding occurred along the Mohican River in Loudonville where four blocks were flooded. Mohawk Lake in eastern Knox County reached it's highest level ever and was up to 79 feet above normal. Homes in the Brinkhaven were affected by the Mohawk Lake flooding. Dozens of evacuations occurred during the middle of the month with most of them being in areas near the Charles Mills and Mohicanville Dams. In addition to the river and lowland flooding, sump pump failures caused by power outages from the ice storm of January 5th and 6th led to hundreds of homes sustaining major damage from basement flooding.

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Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5435330. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.