Officials on both sides of the Ohio River have voiced concern over the amount of debris in and near local creeks and streams, including Ohio County EMA Director Lou Vargo and Pultney Township Trustee Scott Porter.
The Upper Ohio Valley has not experienced much precipitation during the summer months, and creeks and streams have been running for the past six weeks, Vargo reported.
“There’s no doubt it has been a hot summer to this point,” he said. “And the extended forecast calls for the same through the month of August. We haven’t had these kinds of temperatures for a few years, and every waterway is running lower than usual.
“But when we get one of those storms that dumps several inches in an hour or so, even now that could be an issue,” Vargo continued. “These (creeks and streams) can fill up very quickly depending on the storm, and we’ve seen debris cause problems in the past.”
Tragedy in Belmont County
On June 14, 1990, more than five inches of rain fell on the Shadyside area in a very short period of time, and at the time the ground was already saturated by above-average precipitation. The result was the deadly disaster well-known as the Wegee Creek Flood.
The tragedy took 26 lives, destroyed 80 homes, damaged more than 250 structures, and it’s the worst flooding event in Belmont County history. The majority of the victims were discovered in the Ohio River, and the debris created a 15-acre island.
“No one wants to live through something like again,” Porter said. “That’s why we really need to monitor our creeks and streams because we have a lot of storms in this area, and that’s when the debris builds up in and along those waterways. We have to do what we can to ensure a smooth flow of the water. That’s the best thing to do in an effort to avoid flash flooding.
“Now, of course, we have those crazy storms where it rains a few inches in a very short amount of time, and we seem to have them more often these days,” he said. “If it doesn’t flood in some areas when those take place, we have to be sure to go see what is allowed to be removed and what isn’t. According to the federal EPA, we are not allowed to go into the creeks and remove a thing unless they have given permission to do so.”
A Rural Issue
It’s about runoff of precipitation and where it goes, and the federal order from the Environmental Protection Agency mandated in the late 1970s that storm water and what is flushed into sewer systems had to be separated. According to Porter, the feds have been pushing local governments to comply, but no matter the developed county-wide solution, creek-side debris is a current concern.
“I see more in the rural areas because that’s where the storm sewers are not as big as they are in the areas where a lot of people live,” Porter said. “And let’s face it; this valley is more rural than it is urban, and that’s why we have so many volunteer fire departments in the region.
“In the rural areas, I have seen a lot of debris that would definitely get stuck under a bridge or can clog a drainage culvert,” he continued. “And this isn’t a problem just in Pultney Township or Belmont County; this is an issue in rural areas nationwide. That’s where the majority of creeks and streams are located. In a metropolitan area, it rains, the water goes down the drain, and no one thinks twice about it. But in the rural areas, it could close a road or a bridge or something else.”
Think Downstream
On September 17, 2004, the entire Upper Ohio Valley was impacted by the collision of two hurricane systems that dumped 10 inches of rain on the entire region in 10 hours. Cars were in creeks, swing sets settled in yards several streets away, most roadways were impassable, and FEMA and the Red Cross were soon on the scene.
“That was an act of God, and it would have caused flooding no matter what,” Porter said. “This whole valley struggled for weeks following that flood, and yes, there was debris everywhere you looked once the water went down. But I get it; no one wants more government in their lives. That’s for sure. In their minds, they know it is their property, and they are going to do what they want.
“Plus, it doesn’t help that a lot of people throw the branches they just trimmed from their trees into a local waterway. It might not seem like much, but they have to understand that a lot of others are doing it too, and that stuff can build up very quickly,” he explained. “But the worst thing someone can do is place the camper next to the creek because there’s not much that is stronger than a quick flow of water, and that camper could end up falling and blocking the flow until it builds up and explodes for the people downstream to deal with.”
