Storm may bring severe flooding

By TAYLOR BROWN and KRISTIE LINDEN

tbrown@yourmvi.com
klinden@yourmvi.com

With the heaviest rains from the remnants of Hurricane Ida still on the way, local fire departments and businesses are preparing for the worst. 

After devastating parts of Louisiana, the hurricane became a tropical storm as it began a northward journey Monday.

As rain began to fall Tuesday in the Mon Valley, area fire departments, businesses and residents along the river and nearby creeks began to prepare for flooding — potentially the worst the area has seen in several years. 

According to the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, the Monongahela River at Charleroi Lock and Dam is expected to reach its flood stage of 28 feet before 7 p.m. today.

The NWS also predicts the Mon River will crest at 36.9 feet at noon Thursday and will fall below flood stage sometime between midnight Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday.

The river hit 11.3 feet at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The last time the river crested nearly this high was in July 2017, according to the NWS.

According to the flooding information available, when the river hits 28 feet, backwater flooding along Pigeon Creek is likely to begin from the intersection of Park Way and Park Avenue. At 29 feet, Lock 4 goes out of service.

At 30 feet, the backwater flooding along Pigeon Creek will begin to flood the lowest buildings in Peno’s Plaza and will close Wall Street bridge.

Flooding begins in Fayette City around 32 feet on Main Street and other roads. It becomes widespread in Fayette City at 33 feet.  

A little more than 33 feet was reported and minor and moderate damage occurred in March 2015 in Washington and Greene counties.

At 35 feet, the flooding along Pigeon Creek can cause flood waters of up to 4.5 feet in the lowest building in Peno’s Plaza and up to 6 feet in Armstrong Park. The backwater flooding will start to spread upstream along the creek toward the Route 43 overpass on Park Avenue.

When the water get to just below 36 feet, it will reach the point where the river crested July 30, 2017, when several water rescues were necessary throughout the area. 

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