Coshocton County Emergency Operations Plan
FLOODING and DAMS
ANNEX L
APPENDIX A - FLOODING and DAMS
I. PURPOSE
Coshocton County’s highest-ranking hazard, regarding frequency of emergencies, is flooding.
Flooding could develop from river overflows, flash, small stream, or urban flooding. Ice jam flooding in
the winter has also produced problems in certain areas. History shows all types of the above
mentioned kinds have occurred in Coshocton County.
II. SITUATION and ASSUMPTION
SITUATION - Coshocton County has seven (7) different waterways. They are the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Killbuck Creek - (Clark and Bethlehem Twp.)
Kokosing River - (New Castle Twp.)
Mohican River - (Tiverton and New Castle Twp.)
Muskingum River - (Jackson, Tuscarawas, and Franklin Twps.)
Tuscarawas River - (Oxford, Lafayette, and Tuscarawas Twps.)
Walhonding River - (New Castle, Jefferson, Bethlehem, Keene, Tuscarawas, and Jackson Twps.)
Wills Creek - (Linton Twp.)
Several larger creeks in the county have overflowed their banks damaging public and private
properties in the area. These creeks include the following:
1. Killbuck Creek - This creek begins in Medina County, passes down through Wayne and Holmes
County and enters into Coshocton County near the village of Layland. This creek causes significant
increase in the water level as the creek runs through Clark and Bethlehem townships and into the
Walhonding River, which flows to Coshocton where the water then runs into the Muskingum River.
Heavy rainfalls in any of the four (4) counties have an affect on these waterways. Roadways
scattered throughout all townships involved that are near this waterway will close at several locations.
This includes state, county, and township roads.
2. Doughty Creek - This creek enters Coshocton County from the north near the village of Clark in
Clark Township. The Doughty Creek runs into the Killbuck Creek. Melting snow and rainfall north of
the county affects this waterway immediately. This creek closes roads in Clark Township.
3. Mill Creek - There are two creeks known as the little and big Mill Creek. Little Mill Creek affects
Crawford, Millcreek, and Keene Townships. Big Mill Creek affects Millcreek and Keene Townships.
This water eventually goes to the Walhonding River and then the Muskingum River. Both these
creeks will overflow and close state, county, and township roadways every time flooding occurs in the
county.
4. White Eyes Creek - This creek forms from the north in Crawford Township and affects Crawford,
White Eyes, and Lafayette Townships. This creek flows into the Tuscarawas River in Lafayette
Township.
5. Evans Creek - This creek forms from the north near Bakersville in Adams Township. It then runs
into Oxford Township and into the Tuscarawas River in Oxford Township.
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6. Wills Creek - This creek enters the county from Guernsey County near Kimbolton. This creek flows
to the Wills Creek Dam and the level behind the dam causes great concern for residents in Linton
Township and around the village of Plainfield. The discharge of the Wills Creek Dam flows through
the village of Wills Creek and crosses the county line several times before joining the Muskingum river
neat the Virginia , Franklin Township lines at Muskingum County.
While these six (6) creeks cause flooding, Coshocton County also has many smaller streams that
contribute to the flooding and can cause damage to many roadways in the county. In wet and heavy
rain periods, they soon overflow and can create major problems. Often these runs/streams gather
debris when water raises that flow into culverts and small bridge structures and back up water with
small trees and other debris.
ASSUMPTIONS: It is certain that flooding will always be a problem in Coshocton County. While
certain measures, such as keeping streams cleared of debris can be conducted, flooding is a
certainty. Heavy, sudden rains, which occur in a short time period, collect as the water concentrates
into larger and larger streams.
III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
Flooding occurs when normally dry land is inundated with water (or flowing mud). Flooding may arise
from bodies of water overflowing their banks, structural failure of dams, or rapid accumulation of runoff
or surface water. The most concerning factor of flood planning is the suddenness of onset. In the
case of flash flooding and dam failure, the flood elevations in relation to topography and levels of
structures are vital concerns.
Another contributing factor to flood damage is the velocity or “energy” of moving waters. The debris
carried by the water and the extended duration of floodwaters are also a factor to be considered.
Flooding is known to occur in any given month of the year, predominately in the late winter, due to the
frozen ground, melting of snow and early spring storms. Summer and winter flooding, however, is just
as threatening.
The fore-mentioned waterways in Coshocton County are all bodies of water that are subject to
overflowing. The size of the stream is often misleading. Small streams that receive substantial rain or
snowmelt, locally or upstream, can overflow their banks. High-velocity, low elevation flooding can be
dangerous and damaging. Six (6) inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet. Twelve
(12) inches of water, flowing at ten miles per hour, carries the force of a 100 mile per hour wind.
With Coshocton County’s susceptibility to flooding, ice jam floods, and debris jams, another factor
plays into the changing patterns of floodways. Changes in bridges, roadways, and stream banks
induce erosion and contribute to changes in the flood patterns.
Coshocton County is a floodplain county. Citizens have access to the National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP), Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), and Flood Hazard Boundary Maps
(FHBM). The Coshocton County Engineer has been designated, by the Coshocton County
Commissioners, as the floodplain coordinator for the unincorporated areas of the county. The
Coshocton County Engineer advises both the City of Coshocton and the Village of Warsaw in
administration of their respective floodplain management programs. The Coshocton City Service
Director and the Village of Warsaw regulates what is located within the city/village boundaries.
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COSHOCTON DAM CLASSIFICATION
Ohio Dam Safety Laws are contained in portions of Title XV, Chapter 1521 of the Ohio Revised Code,
construction of dams, dikes and levees.
Dams are divided into four classes, class I, class II, class III and class IV. Guidelines for classification
are divided in 1501:21-13-01 of Revised Code.
Class I dams have storage volume greater than five thousand acre-feet or a height of greater than
sixty feet when failure of the dam would result in probable loss of human life or serious hazard to
health, serious damage to homes, high-value industrial or commercial properties, or major public
utilities.
Class II, III, and IV are downed in feet; forty, twenty-five and fifteen feet respectfully.
For the purposes set forth in section 1521-062 of the Revised Code, the chief of the Division of Water
reserves the right to re-classify any dam at any time in the event that said dam becomes a threat or
danger to life, health, or property as a result of circumstances not in existence at the time said dam
was initially classified pursuant to divisions of this rule. Coshocton County has four (4) class one
dams.
Two of these dams are Army Corps of Engineer dams and are dry dams used to prevent and control
flooding. They are the Wills Creek Dam and the Mohawk Dam. Neither of these dams was
constructed for recreational purposes and both are earthen dams. This means they were not meant
to hold back water for a significant period of time. To do so could increase the risk of dam failure.
Coshocton County has four (4) Class 1 dams and one in Holmes County that is near the county line:
DAM
Mohawk Dam
Wills Creek Dam
Montgomery Pond Dam
Sunset Lake Dam
Buckhorn Lake
Township Location
Description
Jefferson and New Castle
Franklin
Jackson
Jackson
Holmes County (SR 83)
Dry dam
Dry dam
Privately owned, small size
Privately owned, small size
Privately owned, medium size
The Mohawk and Wills Creek Dams are two flood control dams built in 1938 as a result of the 1913
flood. They are a part of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District’s flood control conservation
program. These two dams are rolled earthen dams and constructed by the U.S. Corp. of Engineers.
Both dams are the responsibility of the Corp of Engineers and are in the Huntington District of the
Corp Engineer’s jurisdiction.
Two other class I dams are the Montgomery Pond Dam and the Sunset Lake Dam. Both are located
in Jackson Township. However, neither of these two dams is considered a great risk to the county.
That is not so say that some emergency could not develop from either of those areas and that some
planning regarding these two areas should not be considered. These are both privately owned dams.
Buckhorn Lake Dam is located in Holmes just across the county line and is considered a risk for the
community of Clark that is located just below the dam. Clark is located on the Coshocton/Holmes
county line. Due to the remote location this dam is considered to pose a risk to citizens and property.
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FLOODING and DAMS
Flooding occurs frequently in Coshocton County at all times of the year.
Coshocton County is listed under the 100 Year Floodplain with the National Flood Insurance Program.
Floodplain management is the responsibility of the Coshocton County Engineer.
IV ORGANIZATION and ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
Refer to Basic Plan, Section 2.8 - Assignment of Responsibilities.
V ADMINISTRATION and LOGISTICS
Refer to Basic Plan, Annex A - Direction and Control.
VI PLAN DEVELOPMENT and MAINTENANCE
Refer to Basic Plan, Section 2.3 - Plan Development and Maintenance.
VII AUTHORITIES and REFERENCES
Refer to Basic Plan, Section 2.5 Authorities and References.
VIII ADDENDUMS
Tab 1 - Map showing Major Rivers/Waterways
Tab 2 - Flooding / Ice Jam Information and Checklist
Tab 3 - Flood Mitigation
Tab 4 - Ice Jams
Tab 5 - Flood Insurance
Tab 6 - Emergency Preparedness Checklist
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Tab 1
MAJOR RIVERS and WATERWAYS
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Tab 2
FLOODING / ICE JAMS
Types of Flooding:
River Flooding
Urban Flooding
Flash Flooding
Ice Jam Flooding
DEFINITIONS:
RIVER: Flooding along rivers is a natural and inevitable part of life. Some floods occur seasonally
when winter or spring rains, coupled with melting snows, fill river basins with too much water, too
quickly.
URBAN: As land is converted from fields or woodlands to roads and parking lots, it loses its ability to
absorb rainfall. Urbanization increases runoff two to six times over what would occur on natural
terrain. During periods of urban flooding, streets can become swift moving waters.
FLASH: A flash flood is a heavy rain that can cause sudden flooding in specific areas, especially
where streams, creeks, and flooding is imminent. Flash floods happen very quickly and people
should move to higher ground. Look out for water rising rapidly. Nearly half of the flash flood fatalities
are vehicle related.
ICE JAMS: Floating ice that can accumulate at a natural or man-made obstruction and stop the flow
of water can result in flooding.
FACTS: Water weighs 62.4 lbs. per cubic foot and typically flows downstream at 6 to 12 miles per
hour. When a vehicle stalls in water, the water’s momentum is transferred to the car. For each foot
the water rises, 500 lbs. of lateral force is applied to the car. But the biggest factor is buoyancy. For
each foot the water rises up the side of the car, the car displaces 1,500 lbs. of water. In effect, the car
weighs 1,500 lbs. less for each foot the water rises. Two feet of water will carry away most vehicles.
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Tab 3
FLOODING / ICE JAMS
Flooding is the most common, most costly natural calamity known. Floods are an unavoidable fact of
life along streams and rivers. Floods occur when streams overflow their banks and spill onto the
floodplain. Loss of life and property can result where people have built homes and structures in the
flood prone areas.
FLOOD MITIGATION
You cannot prevent floods, so in an effort to reverse the trend of rising flood related problems, local,
state, and federal agencies have undertaken various programs such as:
1. Constructing dams, dikes, and levees to reduce flooding.
2. Forecasting floods so that people can be evacuated in a more timely fashion.
3. Mapping land areas subject to future flooding.
4. Establishing regulations limiting unwise floodplain construction.
These programs have the common goal of reducing flood damages through the wise use of
floodplains. Floodplain Management Concepts lists the first steps in planning a floodplain
management program is to determine the amount of land area that would be inundated by such a
flood. The 100-year flood has become the accepted standard. It is a statistically determined event
that has a one-percent chance of occurring in any given year, or on the average, once in a 100-year
period. This does not mean that if there is such a flood this year, it will not happen again for another
100 years. There have been instances where floods of this size have occurred within 10 years of
each other.
FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS
Coshocton County is a floodplain county. That is where the community floodplain regulations are
designed to guide floodplain development to lessen the damaging effects of floods. Floodplain
regulations may include zoning, building codes, and subdivision regulations. For most effective
management, a combination of the three techniques needs to be used.
For regulatory purposes, the floodplain is further divided into an area in which development controls
vary depending upon flood risk. The floodway includes the channel and those parts of the adjoining
floodplain that are required to convey the 100-year flood. The floodway is the area where the fastest
downstream flow takes place. Since this area must carry floodwaters, no construction or land filling
should be permitted. The floodway fringe is that area in the floodplain not required for carrying
floodwaters. Construction and development in the floodway fringe will not interfere with the flow of
floodwaters and such activities may be undertaken if properly protected to or above the 100-year flood
level. Building codes and subdivision regulations provide an efficient means of regulating construction
in the floodway fringe.
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Tab 4
ICE JAMS
Ice jam situations rarely cause a major concern. They are a common factor with winter weather and
the freezing and thawing out, then freezing again.
However, ice jams have been known to be a problem for Coshocton County. While incidents differ, it
is difficult to address an ice jam specifically since where the ice jam is located and the type of weather
we are having at the time of the jam, largely reflects on the response needed to deal with the
situation.
There are four (4) basic ways of dealing with an ice jam:
1. Leave it alone.
2. Leave it alone, but monitor it by changing conditions.
3. Use equipment to move ice, bust ice, or dig out around ice.
4. Blast ice.
NOTE: ORC 1533.58 INSTREAM BLASTING (ODNR Division of Wildlife)
No person shall use explosives in the waters of the state unless it is for engineering purposes and
with the written permission of the Chief of the Division of Wildlife.
To blast ice, please know that it can cause fish kill, damage river structure and bridge structure, and
should require a permit from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources through the Divisions of
Water or the Wildlife Preserve. Blasting of ice is only effective when conditions are right for the ice
and the water, and should only be done by trained blasting contractors.
LOG JAMS
Debris deposition and sedimentation during flood events add to property damage and cleanup costs.
Logs and other drift swept along in floodwaters can collapse buildings and cause structural failure of
bridges and culverts. Debris lodged in bridge and culvert openings causes flood stages to rise above
unobstructed flood levels, resulting in more inundation and property damage than would otherwise
occur. Log jams existing in the channel prior to flood events also create backwaters, which prolong
the duration of the standing water problems during smaller, more frequent flood events.
Log jam removal is a very complex issue. Contact the Coshocton County Soil and Water
Conservation Service in the County Services Building, 724 S. 7th Street for more information
regarding removal of log jams.
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Tab 5
FLOOD INSURANCE
Flooding is one of the perils not covered by a standard homeowner’s policy. It is simply impossible for
the private insurance sector to spread the potentially huge flood loss payments over large enough
numbers of policyholders. To overcome this, the U.S. Congress, in 1968, created the National Flood
Insurance Program to provide affordable flood insurance through a federal subsidy. However,
Congress specified that such insurance can only be sold in communities that enact the federal
government with evidence that such regulations have been adopted.
COSHOCTON COUNTY, CITY OF COSHOCTON, AND THE VILLAGE OF WARSAW ARE AMONG
THE LIST OF 1,110 COUNTIES AND MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE 100-YEAR
FLOODPLAINS WITH REFERENCE TO THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. THIS
PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY. (This list was taken from an updated March 18, 2003 listing from Ohio
Department of Resources — Division of Water.)
For each local floodplain, a manager must be identified. The manager's primary responsibility is the
administration and enforcement of community flood damage prevention regulations. These managers
need to review proposed activities to ensure that the development is protected from the expected
flood risk and to determine that a development will not increase the flood hazard to others.
The following is a checklist of the manager's responsibilities:
• Conduct inspections of development to ensure compliance.
• Take enforcement actions to resolve noncompliance development.
• Interact in the appeals and variance process to advise applicants and provide technical information
to the review board.
• Maintain records of development compliance as required by NFIP.
• Maintain current floodplain maps and flood data.
• Coordinate map appeals and revisions.
• Disseminate floodplain management information.
• Identify opportunities for reducing flood damage potential.
ROLE OF COSHOCTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The Coshocton County EMA office is responsible for the coordination of local-level emergency
preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation within the jurisdiction and acts as liaison of Ohio
EMA when state assistance is required during emergencies. During the disaster preparedness and
recovery, opportunities to reduce future potential for flood damage can be identified and implemented.
ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
It is the responsibility of the resident home owner to determine the risk of rising water damage and to
obtain adequate insurance if necessary. Home owners can obtain more information by visiting
floodsmart.gov for additional information.
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Tab 6
PERSONAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Learn how to protect yourself and cope with disaster by planning ahead. By discussing the ideas
below with your family and having the disaster supplies kit assembled, you will be more prepared
when a disaster strikes.
FLOOD MITIGATION
• Know your flood risk and elevation above flood stage. Do your local streams or rivers flood easily?
If so, be prepared to move to a place of safety. Know your evacuation routes.
• Remember, homeowners’ policies do not cover flood damage. Coshocton County is a floodplain
county; therefore, the National Flood Insurance Program is available.
• Make sure your main electric panel is at least 12” above the projected flood elevation for your home.
• Consider elevating all electric outlets (including light switches, sockets, baseboard heaters and
wiring) at least 12” above the projected flood elevation.
• Place your washer, dryer, furnace and water heater above potential floodwaters.
• A fuel tank should be secured to the floor. Propane tanks are the property of the propane company,
so you will need written permission to anchor them.
• Install a floating floor drain plug at your current drain location.
• To prevent sewage from backing up into your home, have a licensed plumber install an interior or
exterior backflow valve.
• Everyone in your household should know how to turn off the gas, water and electricity at the main
switches.
• Keep your vehicle fueled. If electric power is cut off, gas stations may not be able to operate pumps
for several days.
CREATE A PERSONAL EMERGENCY PLAN
• Meet with household members and discuss the disasters that could happen in your area. Natural
hazards in Coshocton County include flooding / ice jams, severe storms / tornadoes, winter storms,
and drought. (Contact your local Emergency Management (EMA) office for additional information.)
• Discuss how to respond to each disaster.
• Draw a floor plan of your home and mark two escape routes from each room.
• Pick two meeting places: One near your home in case of fire.
One outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.
• Choose one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for family members to contact if separated in
a disaster.
• Make sure everyone in your household knows how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at main
switches.
• Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones.
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• Teach children how and when to call 911 and how to make long distance phone calls.
• Learn about emergency plans for your children’s school or day care center.
• Keep family records in a water and fireproof container.
• Make sure everyone knows where to find the Evacuation and Car Kits and Family Records
container. Checklists for assembling Emergency Kits are published on the Coshocton EMA
web site at www.coshoctonema.com.
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