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General Ohio University Discussion/Alumni Events Topic
Topic: Athens Flooding
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OhioStunter
2/26/2018 1:01 PM
I heard there was going to be historic flooding in Athens -- OU canceled classes today. Seems like the weather wasn't as bad as predicted, but are there still areas of Athens impacted by flooding?
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OhioCatFan
2/26/2018 7:58 PM
OhioStunter wrote:expand_more
I heard there was going to be historic flooding in Athens -- OU canceled classes today. Seems like the weather wasn't as bad as predicted, but are there still areas of Athens impacted by flooding?
No flooding in the City of Athens. Some flooding in other areas of Athens County. A combination of inaccurate forecasts and rookie president syndrome, I think, lead to a hasty decision to close preemptively. There has never been any significant flooding in the City of Athens since the Army Corps of Engineers re-channelled the river through Athens in 1970. This time, from my own observation, the waters never got closer than about eight feet from "going over the top." I've seen it much, much closer in the past.
Last Edited: 2/26/2018 7:59:09 PM by OhioCatFan
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yamaha45701
2/27/2018 12:04 AM
At our Kiwanis meeting tonight the consensus was that the original forecast had Athens and upstream getting 4 or even 4.5 inches of rain on already saturated ground. I think we ended up getting about 1.5. Hocking above and below the "ditch" was slightly over its banks but nothing like some floods in the past. Put three more inches of rain and yes, there would have been major flooding. Just glad we did not have to deal with a major flood.
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Alan Swank
2/27/2018 9:19 AM
Had the waters risen to 24.2 as originally forecast, that would have been higher than 2005 when East State Street was impassable (water all the way up to McDonalds front door) and Jefferson garage completely underwater. There were places on campus that emergency vehicles would have had a difficult time reaching. Based on that forecast, canceling classes was a prudent move and even if one doesn't think so, what's wrong with a day of no class after this crazy winter we've had this year.
Last Edited: 2/27/2018 9:20:41 AM by Alan Swank
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OhioCatFan
2/27/2018 10:39 AM
Let me just add that my definition of significant flooding would be something like we had in the late 1960s when the only way to get to the East Green was by boat, the Grover Center floor had to be replaced because of water damage, and there was great water damage to personal property in virtually all of the low-lying areas of town. By comparison, the 2005 flooding was no more than a minor nuisance.
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rpbobcat
2/27/2018 12:33 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Let me just add that my definition of significant flooding would be something like we had in the late 1960s when the only way to get to the East Green was by boat, the Grover Center floor had to be replaced because of water damage, and there was great water damage to personal property in virtually all of the low-lying areas of town. By comparison, the 2005 flooding was no more than a minor nuisance.
I got to O.U. the year after they finished moving the Hocking.

I still remember the staired foot bridges over what was the Hocking.
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bobcatsquared
2/27/2018 3:42 PM
Is it just me, or is anyone else waiting for OCF to regale us about the Johnstown flood of 1889?
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rpbobcat
2/27/2018 3:45 PM
bobcatsquared wrote:expand_more
Is it just me, or is anyone else waiting for OCF to regale us about the Johnstown flood of 1889?
I was wondering how crowded it was on the ark,with Noah ?
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SBH
2/27/2018 5:33 PM
"Back in the old days, I rowed upstream to and from class at Lasher Hall."
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Alan Swank
2/27/2018 9:07 PM
rpbobcat wrote:expand_more
Is it just me, or is anyone else waiting for OCF to regale us about the Johnstown flood of 1889?
I was wondering how crowded it was on the ark,with Noah ?
Or that first hand eye witness account of the parting of the Red Sea.
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Mike Johnson
2/27/2018 10:15 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Had the waters risen to 24.2 as originally forecast, that would have been higher than 2005 when East State Street was impassable (water all the way up to McDonalds front door) and Jefferson garage completely underwater. There were places on campus that emergency vehicles would have had a difficult time reaching. Based on that forecast, canceling classes was a prudent move and even if one doesn't think so, what's wrong with a day of no class after this crazy winter we've had this year.
Hey Alan,your closing sentence is causing me to smile. The late professor Mel Helitzer was a dear friend. Once he observed wryly, "Kids pay to come to college and they are happy when a class is canceled."
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OhioCatFan
3/1/2018 12:16 AM
rpbobcat wrote:expand_more
Is it just me, or is anyone else waiting for OCF to regale us about the Johnstown flood of 1889?
I was wondering how crowded it was on the ark,with Noah ?
OK, you've made me feel guilty. I must confess, I was the one who convinced Noah not to put the pair of redhawks on the ark!
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Kinggeorge4
3/1/2018 8:36 AM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Had the waters risen to 24.2 as originally forecast, that would have been higher than 2005 when East State Street was impassable (water all the way up to McDonalds front door) and Jefferson garage completely underwater. There were places on campus that emergency vehicles would have had a difficult time reaching. Based on that forecast, canceling classes was a prudent move and even if one doesn't think so, what's wrong with a day of no class after this crazy winter we've had this year.
They were still expecting staff to make it in and go through water. Not everyone had the day off.
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