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| The Ohio River yesterday evening, when the river was at 28.6 feet |
Yesterday while we were working at our Marietta booth we were told by the owner that there is a possibility of water actually getting into the building--about 2 feet of water--if the river rises to worst level currently predicted.
What to do? Nothing, really. We moved a few things to higher locations, but we have so much stuff in that mall that moving it all is just not feasible. Even moving some of it isn't. So we will sit tight and watch the weather and river reports.
In the end, it's just stuff. We have more. We can easily restock if it comes to that. What I dread is the cleanup after a flood. I've done that before, once in Virginia helping victims of Hurricane Agnes in 1972, once once when one of the libraries I oversaw got four feet of water. There is no nastier job, I think--slimy mud and dirt all over everything.
The river as of this morning is at 29.6 feet and rising. If it reaches the predicted height of 41 feet, the mall is safe, but if it reaches the outer possibility predicted of 48 feet, there will be 2 feet of water in the building.
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| From the National Weather Service website. Click here to view the interactive map. |
The problem is that the Ohio drains all the area from the Allegheny mountains to the east to its confluence the Mississippi in the west.
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| From Wikipedia |
As you can see in the above map, the river's basin extends almost to the Great Lakes, and south through Kentucky and Tennessee. And then it joins the Mississippi. The midwest is also getting rain now so that water is coming down the Mississippi and will cause the Ohio to back up even more.
Add in all the other rivers that flow into the Ohio along its route, and there is just a LOT of water all trying to move south.
There is nothing anyone can do about it except wait and watch. And hope that no one loses their home or belongings.
Meanwhile, there's always Johnny Cash...
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
Wishing you luck with the Ohio, that it crests at the 41'. From Iowa, with the Missouri on one side and the Mississippi on the other, I am drawn to rivers. I explored a little of the beautiful Ohio last July.
ReplyDeleteNance, I wish I'd known you were in my neck of the woods, for I surely would have met up with you :) Do let me know if you ever get back over here.
ReplyDeleteLittle to no rain today, so I am hoping we get a reprieve.
I was in Houston visiting my son when Harvey hit. Mercy! I have never seen such devastation in such a short amount of time. So sad. Thankfully, my son had flood insurance and he and my daughter in law moved back into their house two weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping that all goes well!
Shari in Columbus, GA
Good luck to everyone - including animals - in the flood zone. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDelete