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| Message Subject: Leesville, Ohio report | |||
mikie |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | from the Times Reporter: Area lakes continue to swell T-R Staff report A rainfall that dumped more than an inch of rain over the Leesville Lake region in Carroll County Thursday night is swelling the lake to near historical depth. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-St. Clairsville, announced Friday that he has sent a letter to Gov. Bob Taft requesting state assistance to help Carroll, Harrison, Holmes and Tuscarawas counties restore services and repair damages caused by recent flooding. “The recent rainstorms that covered much of Eastern Ohio in recent weeks caused heavy flooding in many of the counties of the 18th Congressional District,” Ney wrote. “The sheer volume of rainfall that has blanketed the area recently caused severe damage and stranded numerous residents.” In addition, many families have flooded basements and major damage to their homes, Ney wrote. “The effects of this storm are of such magnitude that many of the counties in the area have declared an emergency situation and an effective response is beyond the capabilities of the county governments.” Currently, Carroll, Harrison, Holmes, and Tuscarawas have declared county emergencies and have requested state help. “Since these counties cannot respond effectively, I am requesting that you provide state assistance to help these counties restore services and repair damages,” Ney’s letter concluded. By late Friday morning, Leesville Lake was within 1 foot of the record elevation level reached more than 56 years ago, according to Darrin Lautenschleger, public information officer for the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District. Officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said they do not expect water levels to begin receding at the lake for a few more days. In measurements recorded early Friday, Leesville Lake was at 5.87 feet above normal summer depth readings. The record at the reservoir occurred on April 17, 1948, when the lake reached 6.6-feet above normal. Water in the lake has swelled by nearly a foot in the last day, according to figures compiled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dam at Leesville Lake and at all of the other lakes in the MWCD system. With the rising water, many of the camping units in the campgrounds at both marinas on the lake – at Clow’s Marina off Rt. 212 near the dam and at Petersburg Marina off Azalea Rd. near Carrollton – are being relocated to areas of higher ground. The marinas remain open and are assisting customers. Boat launch ramps at the lake are closed and as water levels increase, portions of roads and highways in the region may be covered and inaccessible. Leesville Lake is just one of several MWCD lakes wrestling with high water over the past week related to the frequent heavy storms over the region. The 14 MWCD reservoirs, including 10 permanent lakes and four reservoirs that impound water only in times of flooding, store floodwaters after periods of heavy rains to offer protection from the potentially dangerous conditions that could occur from uncontrolled water in creeks, streams and rivers. All of the MWCD lakes were more than 1-foot above normal depth levels in readings conducted early Friday. The rate of increase of water levels was beginning to slow over the past two days at all of the lakes except Leesville. The situation has led to the closings of boat launch ramps at Atwood (except for the ramp off Rt. 212 near the dam, which remains open), Charles Mill, Pleasant Hill and Tappan lakes. Numerous camping units at the parks on those lakes also have been moved and swimming beaches are closed and being monitored for reopening on a daily basis. However, all four lake parks are open, camping is available and activities scheduled for this weekend will be held as planned. Charles Mill Lake near Mansfield had reached nearly 12 feet above normal summer depth readings by Friday morning, putting it about 4.5 feet shy of the all-time record of 16.5 feet above normal reached in January 1959. At Tappan Lake Park near Cadiz in Harrison County, crews have been cleaning up debris and damage left behind after a flash flood in the park Tuesday afternoon. A financial estimate of damage at all locations has not been developed. Conditions at Clendening, Piedmont and Seneca lakes have permitted launch ramps to remain open and marinas to operate as usual. The MWCD is urging anyone who has a boat, dock or camping unit at any of its lakes to check on their condition as soon as possible. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Watercraft has issued a statewide boating advisory for all Ohio inland lakes, rivers and streams that have pushed water levels higher throughout most of the sate. | ||
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