Monday, February 21, 2000
Flood-seasoned Falmouth relieved
BY KRISTINA GOETZ
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Jacob Hart (right) helps his uncle, Mark Hart, captain of the Falmouth Fire Department, wash mud from Rigg Street in Falmouth Sunday.
(Gary Landers photo)
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FALMOUTH — Fears of another flood diminished as slowly as the river water that crept back from the banks of the Licking River Sunday.
This time, the town 40 miles southeast of Cincinnati dodged the bullet, and by early morning, residents were moving back into their homes.
Some residents helped clean mud from a few streets and others attended church services.
“We're just trying to get it cleaned,” said Darrin Brown as he unloaded furniture from a truck. “It's a job but at least I didn't lose anything.”
Water did not reach his home on North Liberty Street, which stops just before the river.
“I said that if any flood water got in the house this time I was done. Once is a mistake. Twice is stupid.”
Falmouth residents got a scare when the river started rising Friday. The National Weather Service predicted it would crest at 41 feet — 13 feet above flood stage. It crested, however, at 10 a.m. Saturday at 36.9 feet.
Terry Parnell, pastor of Glenwood Baptist Church, gave thanks for people's strength at a Sunday service held as scheduled.
“We hope that's the last episode until the Lord comes,” he said.
Pendleton County's emergency operations center closed at noon, the National Guard went home and damage assessments were nearly complete.
About 10 buildings reported water in basements or crawl spaces, said Craig Peoples, county disaster and emergency services coordinator. Several were homes and the others were garages and storage areas.
All of the damaged buildings had been eligible for a Federal Emergency Management Agency buyout after the devastating flood of '97, he said.
On March 1, 1997, the Licking poured over its banks, cresting at 52 feet and covering 95 percent of the town of 2,500. Five people were killed and hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged, with damage estimated at $31 million.
“If (this weekend's) flood had gone to the 42 feet, those on Liberty and Woodson would have been affected for sure,” Mr. Peoples said.
This is the first time city and county officials used the disaster plan that was developed after the 1997 flood.
“The coordination was great,” Mr. Peoples said. “This time we knew what to do and we started early.”
Residents were pleased with the response.
“They seem not to be as unprepared as they were last time because the water came in quicker than they realized,” said Steve Lonaker, who lives on Rigg Street.
“This time they jumped ahead of it.”
Officials used a flood response map that shows at what levels each street will be affected. When the water neared a certain level, residents were quickly notified.
Mr. Peoples said the county has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers since February 1998 to move the dispatch center north of Falmouth out of the flood plain.
“I'm hoping this (flood) will move the time frame up from September to May,” he said.
Larry McClanahan, county search and rescue coordinator, said a song stuck in his head as he reflected on the weekend events.
“All I could think of was the Johnny Cash song, "How High's the Water, Ma? Six feet high and risin,'” he said.
“That's about how it goes out here in the country.'
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