The cost to save Zoar

But it's was worth it!

From the 4/15/08 edition of the Times Reporter

Work at levee cost more than $1 million
ZOAR, OH —

Mayor Larry Bell told Village Council recently the cost to shore the Zoar levee was $1.1 million. He said 37,000 tons of material were trucked in to stop soil from passing though the levee – not to stop the water.

Fiscal Officer Patty Smith said Monday that the cost is paid by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

At the meeting, Bell informed council about the recent flooding and all that was learned from the Army Corps of Engineers. He presented topography maps showing flood water elevations.

From March 23 until the job was finished about 170 truckloads of material was taken to the village each day.

Bell spoke with Patty Levengood, director of the Tuscarawas County Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency, about extra costs to the village for extra police coverage because of the trucks coming across the levee and the spectators. He said Levengood was able to find additional funds to help pay for the police.

According to village officials, Bolivar police worked about 57 additional hours at a cost of about $1,400. The bill will be paid through the state Disaster Relief Program.

Smith said the U.S. Corps hired additional flaggers because of the truck traffic and spectators going to the village.

Bell said the Army Corps had an evacuation plan in place with several volunteers and up to 200 personnel ready to help residents move items to the second floor if it became necessary and with any evacuation, if that would have occurred.

According to Bell a compete study of a permanent fix for the levee will be completed in December 2009. The U.S. Corps will drill relief wells and install improved drainage this summer.

“The levee is good with a good clay core covered with topsoil. The problem is underneath pressure, and the relief wells are intended to relieve that pressure,” Bell said.

He also said village government must consider that potential flooding may become a way of life, and every provision must be taken for the residents. He asked council to write down ideas for possible plans and take them to the May meeting.

A committee should be formed to develop a plan for the village, he said.

They're going back!

Just published on the Tusky Valley Schools website this afternoon:

TV Schools Set to Open Tuesday, April 1

TV Schools will open school for students on Tuesday, April 1. “We’re very encouraged with the fact that water has receded much faster than originally projected by the US Army Corps of Engineers last week,” said Mark A. Murphy, superintendent. School officials met late Sunday afternoon with county commissioners and representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers to receive the most up to date water elevation projections. “We are prepared to take full advantage of the downward trend in water levels and clearing of roads so that we can welcome and resume classes for students,” Murphy added. As of Sunday, numerous county roads and State Route 212 between Zoar and State Route 800 remained closed due to high waters, preventing TV Schools from opening Monday.

Although the Ohio Department of Transportation plans to officially open State Route 212 and the entrance to Tusky Valley Road (County Road 106) Monday afternoon, school officials were advised by commissioners and the US Army Corps of Engineers on Sunday that the opening of State Route 212 may not be permanent based on anticipated rain events later this week. As a result, district officials have created alternative measures to safely transport students to and from school if warranted.

District transportation supervisor Jim Downing and Superintendent Murphy met Monday morning with Sheriff Walt Wilson and Bo Hysong of the Sandy Township Trustees to review contingency plans in the event State Route 212 were to close again. School bus and other school traffic would be temporarily re-routed to 2nd Street in Zoar to Mineral-Zoar and Bailey Roads. “We are extremely grateful for the support and blessings from Sheriff Wilson and the Sandy Township Trustees in re-routing traffic if State Route 212 is not open or if it were to close again,” expressed Murphy. “Our primary goal is to ensure the safe transportation of all students, and I’m confident we can do that with the clearance and assistance from our local law enforcement.”

In other preparations, individual contact will be made to families of students whose designated bus stops are changed due to flooded roadways. “We are elated to be able to welcome our students back,” Murphy expressed on behalf of staff and the Tuscarawas Valley Board of Education. “In re-opening, we urge all drivers to be extra cautious, follow posted road signs, and allow flexibility with school and transportation schedules.”

I find it interesting that now they are going to take advantage of the back roads should 212 have to close again.

Okay, one more quick update

The Times Reporter posted a press release from Tusky Valley Schools saying school will be closed Monday, April 31st. But stay tuned! The water levels are dropping pretty quick. Rumor has it, and I repeat that this is a rumor, people in the district are hearing Tuesday or Wednesday for a return to class. Again, that is just a rumor. We took a ride over by the schools this afternoon and saw that water is sitting on Tusky Valley Rd., but 212 looked dry.

Things are getting back to normal

After a long week of flooded roads, closed businesses and frayed nerves for many, things in northern Tuscarawas county are returning back to normal for some.
State Rt 212 reopened at the I-77 interchange Thursday evening which was a welcome sign for many as they no longer had to circumnavigate the back roads of east-central Ohio trying to get somewhere that normally would have taken only minutes to accomplish. Add to that, St Rt 800 from Mineral City to 7 Mile Drive also reopened giving access for those folks to get back and forth. We also found out tonight that the residents of Michael Lane have a dry road to get in and out their development too. Now all that's left besides getting the back roads dry is getting access to the schools so buses can get moving and the kids that are currently climbing the walls back into their desks.
So with things slowly getting back to normal in this dam(med) river valley, I want to thank all of the loyal readers of this blog for stopping in from time to time to get the skinny on what's been happening around here. I will continue to update as things occur. Hopefully nothing else will, but there are still unanswered questions about why this has been allowed to happen again.

Kids not going back to school for a while

I decided to take a look for anything new on the Times Reporter website, and I was greeted with this article about the kids and school.

TV schools likely to be closed next week
The Times-Reporter
Posted Mar 27, 2008 @ 05:17 PM
Last update Mar 27, 2008 @ 05:29 PM
ZOARVILLE, OH —

Tuscarawas Valley schools are likely to remain closed Monday through April 4, based on information received today at a meeting with the Tuscarawas County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and county commissioners.

Students and parents are urged to check local media and the district Web site, www.tuskyvalley.k12.oh.us for announcements pertaining to the official reopening of school.

“Our original hope was to open school on Monday, March 31,” said Superintendent Mark A. Murphy. “We are obviously becoming increasingly frustrated and concerned about the loss of teaching and learning time for our students.

“Attempting to open schools in spite of high water and many impassable roads poses a number of risks, challenges and liabilities, including the safety of school buses, student drivers, risk of not being able to get students home, and possibly denying education to many children not able to get to school.”

Although water levels have decreased, Corps officials anticipate rainfall may cause water pools to level off or potentially increase throughout next week.

The district had established five days this week (spring break) for calamity make-up days, but circumstances prevented that. Before flooding, the district had one school day to make up due to snow and icy road conditions. An additional four days have been missed so far because of flooding.

The law requires districts to make up any school days which exceed the first five.
Murphy said because of the extraordinary circumstances, the district is pursuing assistance from state legislators and requesting relief from having to make up all the calamity days as well as flexibility with attendance requirements for graduating seniors.

In another matter, the community Information and Input meetings rescheduled for Monday and Tuesday have canceled and will be rescheduled.

- TV superintendent Mark Murphy

The article title says it all

"I-77 ramp expected to open this afternoon"

Awesome news!

Goin slow....

(Tonight's pics on Flickr)

Not much new news to report tonight. The river levels in northern Tuscarawas County continue to drop at a fairly steady pace. Unfortunately, folks just south of the dam are now affected by water in their homes. I guess there is no easy answer to this situation.
Hopefully later tomorrow the water levels will be low enough to open the interchange to I-77. It appears that it's getting close by the look of things. You can almost walk right down the center of the road to the other side without getting wet. It must also be low enough for the folks at the Bolivar Wendy's. For the past week they had posted on their sign that they would return when the water recedes. Tonight the sign reads, "See you Thursday".
Work continues in haste at the Zoar Levee also this evening. Crews continue their 24 hour a day crusade to bring in loads of dirt and gravel to shore up the eroding levee. With the water falling rapidly, hopefully their efforts will save the historic village from any further damage.

What if?

I know there has been a lot of talk over the past week about dam stability especially in light of the battle being fought in Zoar. But what would happen is the Dover Dam, God forbid, failed? I remember a few years ago the TR had an article on that scenario, but I couldn't find it this morning. Instead, I found a very detailed plan on the county's EMA website.
Click here to read about it. (Adobe Acrobat required)

Uh-oh

Hot off the presses!

The Times-Reporter
Posted Mar 25, 2008 @ 06:35 PM
ZOAR, OH —

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing its interim risk reduction measures on the Zoar Levee. TAB Construction, contractor for the Corps is 60 percent complete with the initial filter placement.
To increase the level of protection, Corps officials decided to expand the area and depth of the filter blanket. The work is expected to be completed by Saturday. Corps inspectors continue to monitor the levee around the clock.
The Corps continues releases from Bolivar and Dover Dams. Water levels behind the dams continue to drop.
For more information, contact the public affairs office at (304) 399-5551 or (304) 360-1744 or visit www.lrh-wc.usace.army.mil/wc/distns.htm

This doesn't sound too good. I hope they are able to do something quick to save the town!

Great article in today's Time Reporter

Today's TR has a great article that really sums up the last 24 hours in Zoar. Take a look!