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UPDATE @ 2:27 p.m.
Although the rain may have stopped, the Miami Conservancy District continues to monitor river levels, to take any necessary steps to prevent flooding from the Great Miami River.
Floodgates have been closed in several cities to provide additional protection to:
- Residential and industrial areas north of Ash Street and east of Main Street in Piqua;
- Hobart Arena and Troy City Park in Troy;
- Residential and industrial areas near Soldiers Home Road in West Carrollton;
- A commercial area at the south end of Middletown; and
- Miami University Hamilton Campus and an industrial/commercial complex in Hamilton, according to a media release.
“We receive calls from people concerned that closing the floodgate will potentially flood their neighborhood somehow,” said Kurt Rinehart, MCD chief engineer, in the release. “It’s important to remember that closing a floodgate has no impact on river levels, MCD dams or the floodplain. The only impact is the prevention of river water backing up into a city if we didn’t close a floodgate.”
Relief wells are also flowing at Englewood and Taylorsville dams as expected given the amount of rain. Relief wells were installed at all of the dams to address underseepage, Rinehart said.
UPDATE @ 1:45 a.m.
The National Weather Service has canceled a Flood Watch for the area, but has issued new Flood Warnings.
- Flood Warning issued for the Little Miami River in southern Greene County and northern Warren County until 1 a.m. Wednesday.
- Flood Warning issued for the Great Miami River at Troy, Sidney, Middletown, and south of Miamisburg.
- Earlier Flood Watch for the Miami Valley has been canceled.
UPDATE @ 9:26 p.m.
The Areal Flood Watch in effect for the Miami Valley as well as Butler and Warren counties remains in effect until 4 a.m. Tuesday.
UPDATE @ 8:42 p.m.
The daily rainfall record for Dayton has been broken.
According to the rainfall measured at 8 p.m. at the Dayton International Airport, we’ve received 1.19 inches of rain today.
The city’s previous rainfall record for Dec. 28 was 1.05 inches, set in 1988.
The Flood Warning for Sidney has been extended until noon Wednesday and until 5 p.m. Tuesday for the Middletown area.
In Sidney until 12pm Wednesday. Now forecast to reach 11.3’ at 7am Tuesday. Flood state is 10’. At stages near 11 feet, Custenborder Field has some flooding of perimeter areas, along with flooding occurring in low spots on Miami River Road.
In Middletown until 5pm Tuesday. Now forecast to reach 12’5 around midnight. At stages near 12 feet, water approaches structures south of Route 73 between Excello and the Great Miami River. This includes properties along Oxford Street.
Sidney City Manager Mark Cundiff announced he has activated the city’s Flood Action Plan.
“The city is being proactive and will be monitoring the situation overnight and through the event,” Cundiff said in a prepared statement.
UPDATE @ 7:35 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington has issued a third Flood Warning, in effect until Wednesday morning, for the Great Miami River below Miamisburg.
This will impact the following communities: Franklin, Carlisle, Trenton and New Miami.
The flood stage is 17 feet, and the river level at 6 p.m. tonight was 16.6 feet and rising, according to NWS.
The river is expected to crest in this area at 17.4 feet after midnight tonight.
Some flooding is expected in low-lying area, especially portions of Dayton-Oxford Road.
UPDATE @ 7 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington has issued a Flood Warning, in effect until Tuesday evening, for the Great Miami River in Sidney in Shelby County and Middletown in Butler County.
NWS expects minor flooding to occur in both communities.
In Sidney, the Great Miami will crest Tuesday afternoon at 10.7 feet, nearly a foot above the flood stage.
At 11 feet, flooding occurs on Custenborder Field and along low spots of Miami River Road.
In Middletown, the river is expected to crest late Tuesday night to nearly 12.5 feet, which will be just over the 12-foot flood stage.
Properties may be at risk of water inundation on Ohio 73 between the river and the Excello Mobile Home Park, which includes Oxford Street.
EARLIER
Heavy rains over the past week caused rivers and streams to overflow on Monday, closing roads mostly in rural areas around the Miami Valley.
More flooding is expected Tuesday and a cold front is moving in, which will plunge evening wind-chill temperatures into the teens by New Year’s Day.
Bad weather around the country delayed flights for air travelers, especially those headed to Chicago. Bike trails along the Great Miami River flooded, as did a riverside park in Troy.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington Monday afternoon issued a flood warning for the Great Miami River at Sidney. The river was expected to hit flood stage around midnight before declining sometime Tuesday afternoon.
Roads were closed Monday in Logan, Miami, Darke, Auglaize and Clark counties. Among the closed roads was South Pitchin Road between North River Road and South River Road in Clark County, which was a foot under water.
In Miami County, Covington-Bradford Road was closed at State Route 48. Darke County reported that 10 roads scattered around the county were closed from flooding.
In Logan County, Township Road 60 between Township Road 54 and 21 was partially covered by water, as was Township Road 229 between State Route 47 and 235.
In Auglaize County, five roads were closed and two had high water. The closed roads included Koop Road, County Road 66A at Township Road 168, Briggs Road, and Berber-Werner Road. High water was reported on Town Line-Kossuth Road and at the 8000 block of State Route 364 south of State Route 219.
In Miami County, the Great Miami overflowed its banks at Troy’s Treasure Island. That city park is getting a $2 million renovation that includes an amphitheater. The project is scheduled to be completed in early spring.
Flooding would have been worse had the rain fallen more steadily, WHIO-TV meteorologist McCall Vrydaghs said.
Most of the area saw rainfall that ranged from one to two inches, but Auglaize, Darke and southern Mercer counties received three inches of rain on Saturday and Sunday, Vrydaghs said.
Rain was tapering off Monday night and was predicted to end by midnight. The Great Miami in Miamisburg and Middletown will crest Tuesday, according to Vrydaghs.
With the arrival of a cold front, New Year’s Day promises to be cold, or at least colder than we’ve become accustomed to of late. The high on New Year’s Day will be around 30, with wind chills dropping into the teens by that evening.
Mike Ekberg, Manager of Water Resource Monitoring for the Miami Conservancy District, said two to five inches or rain fell on areas that drain into the Great Miami River over the past seven days.
In downtown Dayton, the Great Miami spilled over its banks and covered the bike trails, measuring 33.44 feet at around 11 a.m. Monday. The river is expected to crest at 33.6 feet early Tuesday morning.
Air travelers encountered numerous delays and cancellations, with Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport appearing to be the most heavily hit.
Flights to Denver and Dallas were also delayed by hazardous weather conditions.
At Dayton International Airport Monday morning, two flights to Chicago and a flight to Charlotte were canceled, while a flight to Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth was delayed. Five flights scheduled to arrive in Dayton were cancelled: Chicago (3); Sioux Falls; and Denver.
WHIO-TV reporter Steve Baker contributed to this report.
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