Flash Flood — Athens, Ohio

1998-06-28 · near North Portion, Athens, Ohio

Wider weather episode

The second night of thunderstorms hit during Saturday night the 27th, into Sunday morning, the 28th. Portions of Athens, Washington, and Meigs Counties were hit hard by flooding from this round. The third night of thunderstorms was on Sunday the 28th into Monday the 29th. The final night was a bit further south and west, hitting Jackson County the hardest, but still affecting areas previously under water. Total three day rains of 6 to 12 inches fell from the East Branch of the Shade River across northeastern Meigs County on north, into the lower Muskingum River drainage. An unofficial rain gauge near Tuppers Plain of Meigs County reported 11.5 inches. An automatic rain gauge near Amesville of Athens County measured 5 inches of rain in just 3 hours, with 7.6 inches in 6 hours early Sunday morning the 28th. The Corps of Engineers at the Belleville Lock on the Ohio River at Reedsville measured 4 inches of rain in just 2.5 hours between 0400 and 0630E on the 28th.The hardest hit streams were Sunday and Federal Creeks in Athens County, Duck Creek in Washington County, and the smaller feeder creeks into the East Branch of the Shade River in southern Athens and northeastern Meigs Counties. Late Saturday night the 27th, a 40 year old male was killed when he and his wife drove their truck into flood waters along Grandview Township Route 66 in Washington County. The woman escaped and survived, but the man did not escape the vehicle and was swept down Mill Creek. The other fatality in southeast Ohio was early Sunday morning, the 28th, in northeastern Meigs County. A 55 year old woman from Athens was visiting a friend. The mobile home was washed down a short hollow along Smith-Baker Road and went into Lickskittet Run. The body was recovered about 2 miles down the stream. The other female occupant, escaped the flood waters, by hanging on to a sycamore branch about 500 yards down the stream. Elsewhere in the Shade River basin, people were rescued by boat from their floated homes. Where the East Branch of the Shade River crosses Route 7, the water was over the surface of the bridge. Portland was isolated, with all roads exiting this Ohio River community washed out or flooded. A presidential federal disaster declaration was made for Perry, Morgan, Washington, Athens, Meigs, and Jackson Counties. Between 500 and 600 dwellings were affected by the flood, the most being in Athens, Perry, and Washington Counties.In Athens County, the gauge at Amesville along Federal Creek was the highest on record. The crest was around 0700E Sunday, but did not subside until 2000E. The water was 13 feet deep in the fire station, and 10 feet on Route 550. The mayor of Amesville said that even before the creek flooded, 1 to 2 feet of water was running off the hills. The mayor of Glouster said the West Branch of Sunday Creek rose 10 to 14 feet, affecting about a quarter of the town. The USGS gauge on Sunday Creek crested at 18.62 feet. Trimble and Jacksonville were also hard hit by the flood waters of Sunday Creek. Further south in Athens County, the area around Lottridge and Vanderhoof was also flooded. The 160 year old Orange Christian Church was swept a half mile down the headwaters of the East Branch of the Shade River. About 200 homes were affected just in Athens County.Perry County also had about 200 homes affected to various degrees by the flooding. The area around New Lexington and Corning were affected the most.In Washington County, the West Fork of Duck Creek rose some 20 feet and inundated the communities of Macksburg and Elba. The flooding in the headwaters around Caldwell and Dexter City of Noble County got worst as you travelled down the stream into Washington County. In Macksburg, water was 4 feet in some homes. The community was without public water for 10 days. In the small community of Elba, 21 out of the 25 homes had damage. The flood waters were swift here, and 1 home was forced 100 yards down Duck Creek. Further down the Duck Creek watershed, the East Fork meets the West Fork in the vicinity of Lower Salem and Warner. About 17 homes were flooded for 12 hours in Lower Salem. The combine waters of these forks inundated the Whipple region. The stream was 20 to 30 feet out of its banks. In the weeks following the flood, hay was still hanging from the elevated power lines along Route 821. A 6 week old church in Whipple had 5 feet of water inside. In Marietta, the damage from both the fallen trees and flooding was substantial. Several businesses were surprised, when storm sewers overflowed, or water came through roofs that were damaged by the wind. Stores on Second Street were especially hard hit by the flooding. The county engineer reported 18 county bridges washed out or damaged. The Ohio National Guard was in Washington County for 10 days following the flood.In Jackson County, the flooding occurred early on the 29th. The communities of Jackson, Wellston, Coalton, Byer, and Bronx Corner were affected the most. Homes and vehicles were flooded. Outbuildings were destroyed around Bronx Corner. In Jackson Township, Woodrow Hale and Cain Roads sustained heavy damage.Only minor river flooding occurred in the wake of the flash flooding. The river flooding was confined to block roads. The lower Muskingum River crested 1 to 2 feet above flood stage from around McConnelsville of Morgan County on toward its mouth in Washington County. The Ohio River crested at or just over flood stage from near Racine on through Pomeroy to Gallipolis.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5659893. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.