PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (OH) Minor to moderate flooding in Ohio

Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2020 14:41:55 EDT

Summary: Minor to moderate flooding (National Weather Service terminology) occurring in central and eastern Ohio.

A stationary boundary stalled over central and eastern Ohio last night bringing 3 to 5 inches of rain overnight. Hardest hit areas were the Licking River basin and the Wheeling river basin in eastern Ohio. A section of Ohio State route 79 in Licking County collapsed after a tributary to the South Fork Licking River near Heath Ohio went over the road. Evacuations are occurring at an apartment complex near Raccoon Creek (Licking River basin) close to Granville Ohio. USGS river gage Raccoon Creek near Granville, Ohio (03145483) is being used to provide flooding guidance.

It is believed the orifice line was damaged at the South Fork Licking River near Kirkersville, Ohio. Currently, a stage correction is in place to properly display the hydrograph trace on the web.

Two USGS crews are out measuring high water. One crew is making high flow measurements in the Licking River basin, while another crew is making measurements in the Wheeling river basin.

USGS has interacted with the National Weather Service and the Ohio Emergency Management.