January 1937 was the wettest month Ohio had ever recorded, with twelve inches of rainfall between the 13th and the 25th. [10], One hundred thousand people in Cincinnati were left homeless, as the flood affected the city from January 18 to February 5. City officials deliberately opened the flood gates and allowed river water to flood the business district 8 to 10 feet (3.0m) deep, thus preventing a catastrophic breaching of the flood wall. Weather Bureau, flood damage in Kentucky totaled $250 million, an incredible amount in 1937. This caused for water to start rushing into the city; by midday, the water had risen to a total of 9 feet. This record was narrowly missed in 2011, when April 2011 totaled 13.52. The government felt the strain of the flood, as it was in the middle of the Great Depression, but still, help was sent. Huang He floods, (1887, 1931, 1938), series of devastating floods in China caused by the overflowing of the Huang He (Yellow River), the country's second longest river. Then on March 23, Easter Sunday, the rain began dumping 8 to 11 inches over a five-day period. MEET THE AUTHOR: Casto and Bob Withers will be signing copies of their latest books from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Borders at the Huntington Mall. Floodwaters from the Ohio River are protected from flooding for 110 square miles by the floodwall, stretching 29 miles from northeast Louisville Metro to southwest Louisville Metro. Floodwaters from the Ohio River are protected from flooding for 110 square miles by the floodwall, stretching 29 miles from northeast Louisville Metro to southwest Louisville Metro. SKYWARN. Messages of inquiry concerning the safety of friends and relatives, warnings of rising gasoline-covered waters, appeals for help from marooned victims, orders to relief agencies and workers poured into the cramped studios and quickly broadcast. Specific impacts/details of an individual community, Cincinnati Museum Center ArchivesScioto Historical, Aerial View of Covington in Northern Kentucky, East End of Covington in Northern Kentucky, Aerial View of Madison Avenue in Covington in Northern Kentucky. Louisville, where light and water services had failed, was the hardest hit city along the Ohio River. Nevertheless, eleven Arkansas waterways overflowed, inundating or otherwise affecting seventeen . The rising rivers were backed up by ice jams in some areas, flooding roads and low-lying communities. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the U.S. spent $85 million ($1.4 billion today) on Ohio River flood control and hundreds of thousands in the spring and summer of 1937 alone for mosquito control. Menu. The Roebling suspension bridge in Cincinnati was the only bridge to remain open for the duration of the flood from Pittsburgh all the way to Cairo, IL. Ten people died, many fewer than the 467 killed in the floods of March 1913. Advisory/Warning Criteria, Radar Tornado Machine Plans, Weather Safety The river stage was 33.5 feet. [1], A handful of powerhouse radio stations, including WLW Cincinnati and WHAS Louisville, quickly switched to non-stop news coverage, transmitting commercial-free for weeks. On that cold January day, the Ohio River passed over its 28 foot flood stage and kept going. In Portsmouth, the rising river threatened to top the flood wall, erected 10 feet (3.0m) above flood stage. Required fields are marked *. Rural Pulaski County was functionally left an island by the rising portions of the Cache River, which near its mouth flowed in reverse as the Ohio floodwaters forced their way along the Cache to the Mississippi River above Cairo. CoCoRaHS Much of the January 1937record rainfall fell in just a 12 day period, from January 13-24. The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 was a regional event and still ranks as Ohio's worst natural disaster, with 467 deaths statewide. President Roosevelt despatched thousands of aid workers to the area, as well as supplies of temporary housing and food. Items of Interest [15] Floodwaters reached nearly 30 miles (50km) inland and Harrisburg was nearly destroyed. No way to keep up. Per the History of the National Weather Service (https://www.weather.gov/timeline), the Weather Bureau at that time began monitoring and began early forecasting of rivers in the late 1940s. Thanks to Chuck Friedman for sharing these items with us. $32.16 . Homes along Gross Loop off of KY-15 are flooded with water from the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Ky., July 28, 2022. In 1884, the Ohio River washed away 2,000 homes. The floods lasted three weeks, and it was not until the 5th February that the waters began to recede. The river rose to a record 53.74 feet (16.38m), which was 19 feet (5.8m) above flood stage, and sent water over the six-month-old riverfront plaza in Evansville. The river rose 6.3 feet between January 21 and 22 in Louisville. Trains, unable to reach the city center, dropped passengers at suburban stations. It ends 981 miles downstream in Cairo, Illinois, where it flows into the Mississippi River. , What was the worst flood in Kentucky history? On the right is a scan of the letter of appreciation Mr. Davis received from the city. When measured by the loss of life and property, extent of damage, and general disruption of human activities, these floods constituted a major catastrophe. The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. The periods of heavy rain and flooding, led to numerous water rescues and mud/rock slides. January 1937 remains as the wettest month ever recorded in Cincinnati. The flood claimed 385 lives and devastated the thriving town of Lawrenceburg, Indiana. [2] The Pennsylvania Railroad evacuated many area residents by train from its depot in Jeffersonville. The bridges were too low to allow the vessels to pass under, so the vessels were forced to steam across farmland and bridge approaches, dodging telephone and power lines.[7]. Tremendous precipitation would mark a 12 day period from Jan 13-24 (see image below of the rainfall analyses of this 12 day rain). Questions? This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 07:54. Station History No measurable snow fell during the entire month. Today, while radar rainfall estimates are much closer to approximating rainfall values and subsequently flood forecasting, accurate real-time rain gage observations are still superior to radar estimates. Submit a Storm Report The first part of January 1937 did not experience particularly heavy precipitation, and the Ohio River at Cincinnati was only slightly elevated with a stage of 36.6 on January 10. Partnering with the Kentucky Division of Water, the National Weather ServicesOhio River Forecast Center, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the NASA team looked at three years of Ohio Valley floods. By January 21, all roads leading to Jeffersonville were completely covered in water making it near impossible to travel. The 2018 flood had significant impacts on Kentuckys Ohio River communities, said Carey Johnson, assistant director at theKentucky Division of Water. In January 1937, the Ohio River reached a record crest from near Huntington, WV down to it's confluence with the Mississippi in a flood that remains the flood of records to date. Michael Robinson and Terry Raymer have made an annual tradition of catching massive fish on the Ohio River, but their latest snag is a personal best. by Andrea Neal. , What is the deepest river in the world? They were sent on boats along the Cumberland River, but because of the rising waters, the bridges were too low to pass under. They established direct telephonic communication with the city's general relief headquarters in City Hall with Red Cross, the Naval Reserve, the American Legion, the police and fire departments, and the Coast Guard. Days earlier, it'd crested at the same level in Parkersburg and 10 feet above flood stage in Wheeling. The highest level of the river recorded during this time was 24.4 meters, which was recorded at Gallipoplis, and a total of ten per cent of the city was completely submerged in water. After letting the new boat soak in the water overnight so the wood would swell and seal any leaks, the little boat worked pretty good and the family soon set to work going house-to-house rescuing neighbors. Do you have any old photos? Washington at Smithville. These photos of Louisville and Jeffersonville were found in a box in the home of a former resident of Bardstown during the time of the flood. At McAlpine Lock, the 1937 flood crested at 85.4 feet. After the waters receded, the locals petitioned for government to take future risks of flooding more seriously, and demanded a plan for control. Below on the left is a photo of the Gloucester, MA Water Department. "Tennessee Valley Authority", p.875. The 1937 flood affected nearly all of the state of Kentucky, as well as southern Ohio/Indiana. The river surpassed its 52 flood stage on January 18.The continued heavy rain after the river was already in flood would bring the river to exceed a record that was over 50 years old (71.1 set in February 1884) by reaching 73.4 on January 24, 1937. Floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt or a storm surge from a tropical cyclone or tsunami in coastal areas. Eventually, someone looked out and saw the geese, all dead, lying around the yard. Between January 13th and 25th of 1937, the Ohio River Valley got 1-2 feet of rainfall. Bob Moser tells about when the people at the Cruise family home on Chapeze Lane had used up all the food stored at the house, some of the men went down to a local distillery and got the corn meal mash that was there, using it to make "fried mush for lunch and boiled mush for dinner." Image Courtesy of the Scioto Historical Collection, Digital History Lab, Clark Memorial Library, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio. By Tuesday, March 25, the Ohio River and its tributaries flooded cities such as Indianapolis, Indiana, and Cincinnati, Youngstown, and Columbus, Ohio. Check out our ohio river flood selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Forecast Discussion The bridge is the Cache River Bridge on the south edge of Ullin. HUNTINGTON On Jan. 27, 1937, the Ohio River crested here in the worst flood in local recorded history. January of 1937 is on record as the wettest month in Cincinnati history. The Flood of March 22-27, 1913 is known as the greatest natural disaster in Ohio history. During the 2018 flooding in particular, the team discovered that 667 miles (1,073 kilometers) of major roadways in the Ohio Valley were impassable and 16% of all hospitals within the study area were inaccessible. Do you understand me?!" The Indiana State Flood Commission was created in response, and it established the Evansville-Vanderburgh Levee Authority District, which built a system of earth levees, concrete walls, and pumping stations to protect the city.[14]. , How many people died in the Dayton flood? Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. , What is the biggest fish caught in the Ohio River? The plan involved creating more than seventy storage reservoirs to reduce Ohio River flood heights. There really wasn't much snow but there was bunch of rain in the Ohio Valley basin. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad Freight Depot is on the left, with Belknap Hardware on the right. In 1913, an even worse flood swept down the river. Significance: The flood of record for the Ohio River; $20 million in damages. This month marks the 79th anniversary of the worst natural disaster in the history of Cincinnati and the entirety of the Ohio River Valley . The Ohio River eventually crested 14 feet (4.3m) over the top of the flood wall. But sometime later in the day, they heard the geese honking and saw them wobbling around the yard. Time moved on. It gives an amazing insight to the event, from someone who was actually there. The Ohio River is formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers at Point State Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. [17] By the time the flood waters had receded, 4000 were left homeless. [18] National guard boats were the means of transportation in the city, and several thousand people were transported daily from temporary island to island. Bill said later that he didn't think the girls breathed after that. [21], After a prolonged fight and a legal battle that made it to the West Virginia Supreme Court, the flood wall was approved, and the project was taken on by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Storm Prediction Center Image Courtesy of the Scioto Historical Collection, Digital History Lab, Clark Memorial Library, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio. Close-Up of the West End of Louisville 1/27/37. The only exception is the Ohio River at Cairo, IL near the confluence with the Mississippi, where the decades-old 1937 record was surpassed in the flood of May, 2011. Not fully completed by the Army Corps of Engineers until the early 1940s, the new facilities have drastically reduced flood damages since. The 1937 Flood By McKenzie Martin Historical Marker #1053 in McCracken County commemorates the devastating flood of 1937. The geese had just passed out from all the liquor in the slop! Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. The flood makes the cover of the Herald-Dispatch on January 19, 1937. The flood was particularly difficult for the city of Cincinnati, where flood levels reached almost eighty feet. , What states were affected by the Ohio River Flood 1937? About Our Office The Authority also sought to help control flooding on the lower Mississippi River, especially in the aftermath of the Ohio River flood of 1937, as research had shown that 4% of the water in the lower Mississippi River originates in the Tennessee River watershed. The Ohio River had always been prone to flooding. Complete history of the Ohio River at Cincinnati is available at https://www.weather.gov/iln/ohioriverhistory, Historical Height Duration of Cincinnati Floods Through 1937, Twelve (12) Day Estimated Precipitation In the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, January 1937 Weather - Cincinnati Fernbank, Data Courtesy of the Midwest Regional Climate Center, Ohio Valley Rainfall and River Forecasting, Monitoring and Navigation. The reported damage of the flood in the state resulted in about $250 million worth of damage. Some communities never fully recovered from this epic disaster, while others enacted flood protection and mitigation measures. A fleet from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was sent to handle and help with the situation. . The Red Cross and federal government spent the equivalent of $11 million in today's money in aid to the city. Hazards Football Weather, Local Information Kleber, John E., ed (1992). All of the following photos came from the booklet "Ghost City: Story of the Lawrenceburg 1937 Flood, with pictures" by M.O. The Ohio River rose above its 50-foot (15m) flood stage on January 21, cresting at 60.8 feet (18.5m) on February 2 and receding again to 50 feet (15m) on February 15. [16] Between Gallatin County and Harrisburg, about 25 miles (40km) of Illinois Route 13 was covered by 8.0 to 14.0 feet (2.4 to 4.3m) of water; motorboats navigated the entire distance to rescue marooned families. $26.80 . The Ohio River had a history of floods, but events witnessed in 1937 saw the river's water levels rise to unprecedented levels. January 13-24: Near record rainfalls were recorded. Some communities never fully recovered from this epic disaster, while others enacted flood protection and mitigation measures. Rain fell nearly continuously in the area for around 60 hours from Jan. 27 to Jan. 29, according to the National Weather Service. In January 1937, the Ohio River reached a record crest from near Huntington, WV down to it's confluence with the Mississippi in a flood that remains the flood of records to date. On the Huffman Mill covered bridge (about 16.6 stream miles up Anderson Creek from the Ohio River between Perry and Spencer Counties in Indiana) there is a nearly hidden tag which marks the high water line for the 1937 flood. Crests were 20 to 28 feet (8.5m) above flood stage and 4 to 9 feet (2.7m) above the previous record of 1884. One million people were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million ($8 billion in 2012 dollars). The 1937 flood remains the flood of record for many locations along the Ohio River, leaving an estimated 350 dead and nearly 1 Million homeless. In Louisville, Kentucky, 23,000 people were displaced by the flooding, with water covering 60% of the city. The eventual 80' crest was well beyond any known crest from Point Pleasant, WV all the way to the Ohio's confluence with the Mississippi near Cairo, IL. Was the wettest month in Cincinnati 2,000 homes depot is on record as the greatest natural disaster with... 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