By Jeremy W. Steele
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MIAMITOWN - The Great Miami River is expected to crest at nearly 6 feet above flood stage here by noon today, two days after heavy rains forced the river from its banks.

The river should reach 20-22 feet before water levels begin to decline, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected through today.

Flooding had caused minor damages by Thursday afternoon in the Miamitown area, where water levels approached the height of the outfield fence at the Riverfront West Softball Park, across the Great Miami from the downtown area.

GREAT MIAMI FLOODING

In Butler County, the Great Miami River is expected to crest above flood stage today in Miamitown, but below flood level in Hamilton: Miamitown Flood level: 16 feet Thursday level: 18.2 feet, 6 p.m. Expected crest: 20-22 feet, noon today Hamilton Flood level: 18 feet Thursday level: 13.7 feet, 6 p.m. Expected crest: 15.7 feet, 6 a.m. today Source: National Weather Service Ohio River Forecast Center

Most houses and businesses in the area sit on hills that rise sharply out of the river basin.

Just upstream from Miamitown, James and Teresa Tylicki of Groesbeck stopped at Colerain Township's Eggleston Softball Park to check the water levels. They said the river, which raged a muddy brown, is usually at least 20 feet farther back.

"It's nothing like this," said Teresa Tylicki, standing on the banks of the river as logs rushed past. "I haven't seen this ever."

If flood levels were to reach 23 feet today, numerous homes and businesses along the river from New Baltimore to Cleves could be affected.

Mid-June flooding along the Four Mile and Seven Mile creeks, which empty into the Great Miami, damaged more than 300 homes in Butler County.

Jackie Miller, manager of Kreimer's Bier Haus in Miamitown, has watched the Great Miami rise to twice its normal height this week along the steep bank behind her business.

"I haven't seen it this high since I can remember," she said as she looked out a back window at the raging water.

Some parts of northern Butler County have received more than 5 inches of rain since Sunday. By comparison, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport National Weather Service station has measured 2.4 inches since July 4.

Still, Butler and Hamilton counties have fared much better than communities at the headwaters of the Great Miami.

Western Ohio struggled through its seventh day of rain Thursday, although relief is in sight. The St. Marys River had dropped 15 inches in Van Wert County after cresting at nearly 26.9 feet Wednesday, said Rick McCoy, director of emergency management. He said 12 homes were voluntarily evacuated.

In Mercer County, where 100 people have been evacuated, more than 15 inches of rain had fallen since last Friday, according to the weather service.

The evacuations were scattered throughout rural areas and the towns of Celina, Montezuma and Rockford. Hundreds of acres of low-lying areas were covered in water.

Residents also were evacuated Wednesday in Lakeview and Russells Point near Indian Lake along the Great Miami River. That area, about 50 miles north of Dayton, also has been hit by more than 15 inches of rain.

Gov. Bob Taft toured Mercer County on Thursday, calling it the worst flooding he had seen as governor.

"The flooding is truly devastating in term of the number of homes that have been flooded and badly damaged, some beyond recovery," he said. "We drove along one major highway through several feet of water. We saw fish swimming around there on the highway."

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Association were surveying flood damage in five counties to determine if residents qualify for federal money or low-interest loans, Taft said.

So far, no major injuries or deaths have been reported from this week's flooding, but there has been at least one close call.

An 84-year-old man was rescued Wednesday after being swept into a flooded field next to the Great Miami River outside of Tipp City.

Police said the man tried to drive through a flooded highway and left his car when it stalled. He lost his footing and was swept by the current into the field, where the water was about 5 feet deep.

Two nearby city workers dived in and pulled the man to safety.

A tornado touched down in a Huron County cornfield in northern Ohio about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, said Marty Thompson, a meteorologist with the NWS.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. E-mail jsteele@enquirer.com