Wellsville erects flood gate for flood control for first time in nearly 20 years
A crowd gathers to watch firefighters from multiple stations and volunteers erect the main flood gate on Wells Avenue. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Firefighters from multiple stations carry a support beam for the flood gate. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Markings on the Wells Avenue Bridge indicate how high the river is and is used to monitor for flooding potential when the river is rising. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
A crowd gathers to watch firefighters from multiple stations and volunteers erect the main flood gate on Wells Avenue. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Firefighters from multiple stations carry a support beam for the flood gate. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Markings on the Wells Avenue Bridge indicate how high the river is and is used to monitor for flooding potential when the river is rising. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
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WELLSVILLE -- For the first time since 2005, Wellsville needs to erect the flood gate for possible flood control.
Wellsville Fire Department, Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department, Highlandtown Volunteer Fire Department, Liverpool Township Volunteer Fire Department and Wellsville Police Department along with members from East Palestine Fire Department, Columbina County Emergency Team and the Ohio Military Reserves were on hand to help control traffic, close the road and erect the flood gate on Wells Avenue.
Prime Towing provided the departments with a skid steer to move the timbers for the flood wall and sand for the sandbags was purchased from DW Dickies.
Work began shortly after 5 p.m. and the flood gate is expected to be erected by approximately 8 p.m.
While the Ohio River had not yet reached the point of possible flooding, according to Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel, the need to put up the flood gate was determined based on rate of rise for the river.
The river had risen approximately 2 inches – from 9 feet, 5 inches to 9 feet, 7 inches – in about five minutes around 5:37 p.m. Wednesday night.
Podwel said they typically don’t start putting the flood gate up until the river reaches about 14 feet deep, but firefighters from the department who had been monitoring the river earlier on Wednesday afternoon recorded the river rising every 10 minutes averaging to rising one foot every hour.
Following a meeting early Wednesday afternoon with Peggy Clark of Columbiana EMA and the National Weather Service of Pittsburgh who are predicting the river to crest in Wellsville at 14 feet on Thursday, Podwel said based on that information and the rate of rise he decided to put the gate up Wednesday night.
The chief also noted that 14 feet is considered a moderate flood state and at around 19 feet the water is onto the bridge and coming across the roadway. That is a possibility if there is any more rain on Wednesday night or Thursday.
As for when the flood gate would down, Podwel said that is a judgement call and will depend on how much more it rains. The earliest it could come down would be Thursday night, but Podwel is doubtful about that and anticipates possibly some time on Friday.