Flooding still plagues Tuscarawas County; Bolivar Dam used as detour as roads close
GateHouse News Service
Thu Mar 20, 2008, 11:35 AM EDT
Tuscarawas County, Ohio -
Officials are allowing passenger vehicles to drive across the Bolivar Dam as rising waters close off roads in northern Tuscarawas County.
N. Orchard Road and Glen Park Drive can be used to reach the road that crosses the dam. The north end of the road, which isn't always open to traffic, connects to Gracemont Street and Sherman Church Avenue SW in Stark County.
The road saw regular use in 2005 when flooding last caused problems in the area. Flooding has closed Route 212 over the Tuscarawas River, limiting access north from the Wilkshire Hills area.
The road over Bolivar Dam now is open because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is projecting a record level of water retention behind Dover Dam, according to Tuscarawas County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
Officials anticipate closing the northbound exit ramps from Interstate 77 at the Route 212 interchange.
The reservoir formed behind the dam likely will extend about as far as the floodwaters did in 2005, and may exceed that level in some areas, officials said.
Floodwaters behind the Beach City, Bolivar and Dover dams likely will crest next week, the agency reported.
Officials expect parts of Zoarville to be isolated from vehicle traffic by sometime today. Residents there were informed using reverse 911 messages, officials said.
Messages also were sent to residents in the Wilkshire Hills region, where officials are expecting access to remain open throughout the week.
In Stark County, officials expected Nimishillen Creek in the North Industry area of Canton Township to crest at 9.9 feet at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The Tuscarawas River in Massillon was expected to crest at 11.7 feet by 8 a.m. Friday.
Rich Weber, deputy director of the Stark County Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday morning that in the previous 24 hours, Stark County residents saw between 0.7-inch and 0.95-inch of rainfall.
"It's not going away anytime soon. We're looking at some more rain," he said.
"We're certainly faring quite a bit better up here than they are in southwest and western Ohio. They're looking at 2 to 4 more inches of rain," he said.
Weber warned that motorists should not to drive over water-covered roads, and that residents who have experienced flooding in the past should move valuables to higher ground.
But some residents failed to heed the warnings. Perry Township officials spent Wednesday evening pulling people from water logged cars that attempted to travel through water covering 12th Street NW north of Sippo Lake Park.
Roads Closed
For an updated list of restricted and closed roads, call the Emergency Management Agency's automated service at (330) 339-7838 or visit the Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Department Web site at www.co.tuscarawas.oh.us/sheriff. Buckeyetraffic.org provides a full list for the state.
Route 212, closed between Route 542 and Route 800.
Route 39 likely will be closed east of Dellroy
Route 542 likely will be closed a mile north of Dellroy and near Magnolia
Route 151, restricted two miles east of Bowerston
Route 520, restricted at intersection of Route 62 and Killbuck
Route 60, restricted north of Killbuck in three places
Route 643, restricted just south of Route 557
Route 93, restricted about one mile north of Baltic
Route 62, restricted in two places between Killbuck and Route 83
Route 258, closed between Stillwater and West Chester
Route 258, closed at Dunlap near Postboy
Route 800, likely will be closed south of Mineral City
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