By TODD HELBERG
cnedit@crescent-news.com
A second dose of heavy rainfall this week caused local rivers to continue rising well past flood stage today and inundate several Defiance County locations.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), an additional 2.09 inches of rain -- measured at the Defiance County Airport -- fell Tuesday and Tuesday night. That was on top of the 2.27 inches recorded between Saturday night and Sunday night.
Those figures caused the Maumee, Auglaize and Tiffin rivers to continue rising overnight. All were well above flood stage at press time today.
According to the NWS, the Maumee stood at 16.52 feet at 6:30 a.m. today and was expected to crest at 18 feet early this afternoon while the Auglaize reached 24.36 feet at 6:45 a.m. today when it may have crested.
These levels are considered "moderate stage" flooding by the NWS. Flood stage is 10 feet for the Maumee; 17 feet for the Auglaize.
Meanwhile, the NWS predicted that the Tiffin River at Stryker would crest at 17.3 feet today, which is considered "major stage" flooding. Flood stage there is 11 feet.
In Defiance, floodwaters affected the usual areas, including homes on Riverside Avenue and in the Kingsbury Park area. Downtown businesses were also impacted with basement flooding while Defiance Public Library on Fort Street was sandbagged.
Volunteers from the county's certified emergency response teams and the Volunteer Connection of Northwest Ohio sandbagged until early this morning at Second and Auglaize streets, according to Defiance Police Chief Tobias, public information officer for Defiance County's Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). But water levels may not reach what officials had figured.
"It's a hard thing to guess, especially when it was raining, then would quit raining," Tobias stated. "We're just waiting for it to crest so we can go down and start the cleanup."
However, he said CERT volunteers and the Tiffin Township Fire Department were expected to begin sandbagging at 9:30 a.m. today at First and Main streets in Evansport to protect against Tiffin River flooding.
The rising waters caused Toledo Edison crews to shut off electrical service to approximately 50 homes and five businesses in Defiance, according to a press issued this morning by the LEPC. Ohio Gas has also shut off supply lines to homes along Auglaize and Summit streets.
Defiance Fire Department crews also went door-to-door to inform residents of the projected crest and to discuss evacuations, officials said.
Residents needing shelter due to flooding can register with the Defiance County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 1220 S. Clinton St., at 419-782-0136 until 8 p.m. today. But as of 9:15 a.m. today, no one had sought emergency shelter.
"Some people were out of their homes, but nobody requested shelter," said Tobias.
Free clean-up kits are also available at the Red Cross office. After hours, the phone number for Red Cross assistance is 419-438-5150.
According to local officials, the Volunteer Connection has 100 cleanup kits and 50 personal care kits available at its office, 613 W. Third St., from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Persons wishing to volunteer can call the Volunteer Connection at 419-782-3212.
Residents needing assistance can call the Defiance Fire Department's non-emergency number (419-782-2771).
When the waters recede, 30-cubic yard dumpsters will be placed at Kingsbury Park, Riverside Park and the intersection of Auglaize and Hopkins streets. According to the LEPC press release, these dumpsters are for "flood cleanup only."
The high water closed a number of roads and streets in Defiance County.
West Fort Street, West First Street and East River Drive in Defiance were closed at 9 a.m. today as was Auglaize Street on both sides of Second Street and several others in the Kingsbury Park area.
Outside the Defiance corporation limits, County Road 424 (formerly Ohio 424) was closed this morning from Overly Road to Carpenter Road, according to the sheriff's office.
Also closed was Ohio 18, west of Cicero Road; Ohio 18 at Cicero Road; Rosebrook Road, south of Ohio 18; Fountain Street at Breininger Road; and Power Dam Road in three different areas. However, Sheriff Dave Westrick said those roads likely would reopen by day's end.
He said no driving incidents involving high water were reported.
"People have been very good about it," he said.