Ohio River crests at major flood status submerging towns in Appalachia

Ohio River floods town along banks

The Ohio River has crested at major flood status, flooding towns along the OH-WV border. Several streets in Marietta, Ohio, were underwater on Friday.

MARIETTA, Ohio - Rounds of incessant rainfall over the eastern Great Lakes have resulted in the Ohio River and its tributaries reaching major flood status, submerging streets and displacing some residents.

While the river level in major cities such as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati was expected to peak below major flood status, towns such as Marietta, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia, were not as fortunate, with local residents saying it’s the highest they’ve seen the river in decades.

According to a water level gauge in Marietta, Ohio, the Ohio River crested at major flood status, with the level rising to 40.07 feet on Friday.

Drone video and photos showed significant flooding in the commercial district, with town officials saying recovery will be a long process.

"Cleanup began early this morning. Again, please be patient. This is a long process. Give crews time to get the roads safe for traffic again," the town posted on Facebook.

States of emergency were in effect for counties both on the Ohio and West Virginia sides, as the water showed no mercy for state boundaries.

Significant flooding was also reported in the towns of Parkersburg and Wheeling in West Virginia.

Drone video showed floodwater entering homes and businesses around a community known as Wheeling Island.

A nearby NOAA water gauge reported the river peaked at around 44.71 feet on Friday, which was the highest level since 2021.

The local fire department said Wheeling's operations division was planning to work through the weekend to clean mud and debris from flooded streets.

The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department was offering free tetanus shots as the floodwater may be contaminated with sewage and other pollutants.

At least one death has been attributed to the flooding in West Virginia. The Wood County Sheriff’s Department said a woman died Thursday after her SUV crashed into a flooded waterway near the town of Davisville. 

FLOOD WATERS PEAK IN PITTSBURGH AS SWOLLEN OHIO RIVER THREATENS TOWNS IN AT LEAST 5 STATES

Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky prepare

Officials in the greater Cincinnati area are preparing for the Ohio River to rise to at least minor flood stage by Monday.

Some parks along the river’s edge are closed, and the city’s public works department has put a barrier dam in place to prevent flooding along one of its many tributaries.

A much-anticipated post-game fireworks display after a match between the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets was canceled Friday due to impacts with barge traffic on the river.

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At least one waterfront business in Northern Kentucky will be closed until the river level subsides, making it safe for customers.

Expected water levels are forecast to remain well below the record high of 80 feet set back in 1937.

The NWS reports the historic 1937 flood killed 350 people and left 1 million homeless from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, to the merger with the Mississippi River in Cario, Illinois.

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More excessive rainfall expected in April 

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has highlighted the Ohio Valley as being the recipient of above-average rainfall through the entire month.

A stalled frontal boundary during the first few days of April produced a widespread 2-4 inches of rainfall, with another 1-2" expected over the next week.

NOAA forecasts stated a continued El Niño pattern will likely keep much of the Ohio Valley unsettled through the month.

The off-and-on chances of precipitation are expected to help keep river levels high through the foreseeable future.

NOAA April precipitation forecast