CINCINNATI — The Ohio River is expected to see historic levels this upcoming weekend. As the waters rise, the City of Cincinnati prepares to make sure it’s high-risk areas are safe.
“You will see this river in places you haven’t seen it in years,” said Cincinnati Assistant Fire Chief Matt Flagler.
One way the city is preparing is by bringing down the Mill Creek Barrier Dam wall. On Friday, the facility began activating flood preparations, which include bringing down bulkheads into the water to block the Ohio River from flooding into the valley.
“We block the Ohio River from coming back up into the Mill Creek valley, and then we take the water that comes down from the Mill Creek and pump it, and we force it out into the Ohio River,” said Eric Saylor, the city's stormwater management engineer.
WATCH: Officials explain how they're approaching upcoming flooding
Saylor told us there are eight pumps on the property, each with the capacity to pump 1 billion gallons of water per day. He said during the flood of 2018, all eight pumps were turned on. This year, he expects only a few to be used.
The dam is located just outside of downtown Cincinnati and protects crucial train tracks, the MSD wastewater treatment plant, local businesses and private homes.
“It protects about $3 billion of public and private infrastructure,” said Saylor.
This weekend is expected to give us some of the most flooding we have seen in recent years, city officials said.
“The river is going to crest kinda by the end of the weekend, well over 60 feet, which is eight feet above flood stage,” said Flagler. “That’s a significant flood here in the City of Cincinnati.”
The city has been preparing underground by clearing the sewer system, as well as above ground.
“Closing off roadways, we’re erecting some of those big floodgates downtown and we’re making sure all the residents in our most low-lying areas have been notified and prepared,” said Flagler.
But with the amount of water the city is expecting to see in the upcoming days, Flagler said everyone should be prepared.
“So much rain could fall this weekend, it’s gonna flood in areas that typically don’t,” said Flagler.
If you have questions or concerns about preparing for the flood, City of Cincinnati residents can call 311 for help.
Flagler also urges everyone to pay attention to severe weather alerts for their area. To receive weather alerts, you can download the WCPO 9 app or text “CincyAlert” to 77295.
