Flooding dominates VDOT, county administration reports of June 5

Tuesday morning meeting reports to the Warren County Board of Supervisors by both the county administrator and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) focused on the consequences of, and ongoing responses to the weekend of heavy and steady rain that devastated not only Warren, but all four counties across the Edinburg Residency of VDOT’s Staunton District.

First, VDOT’s Ed Carter noted that all planned work included in his report would be impacted “by the major flooding that occurred this weekend (June 1-3).”  Of Warren, Shenandoah, Clarke and Frederick Counties comprising the Edinburg Residency, Carter reported, “The Residency has experienced significant damage from this event, and restoration of service will be our main focus.”

What restoration of services, you may ask – Carter told county officials that 96 roads in the Edinburg Residency had been closed at some point, and that 41 remained closed as of Tuesday morning, June 5 (though I doubt you will be able to use that as an excuse for not getting your county and town phase one taxes in by the end of Tuesday).

Of the new and not-yet-officially ribbon cut Morgan Ford Bridge that has been accommodating traffic since January 22, Carter observed, “it has disappeared” beneath the swollen Shenandoah River.  He described significant damage to the approaches to both sides of the bridge, including “railings dangling” and “trees washed up” into the road.

The new Morgan Ford Bridge ‘disappears’ beneath the swollen Shenandoah River – even higher, low-water bridges aren’t immune to 7 to 10 inches of rain in two to three days following two weeks of steady, often hard rain.

Hopefully as it reappears – fingers crossed that two days of rainless, largely sunny weather continues, especially the first part of that equation – the bridge scheduled for an official ribbon cutting in July will not exhibit similar “significant damage”.

But as we in Front Royal and Warren County grouse about our closed roads, flooded basements and leaking structures Carter pointed out that in the sprawling Staunton District (Lexington to Winchester in western Virginia) of which the Edinburg Residency is a part, “Rockingham to Page Counties got hit the hardest” by the weekend deluge.

Howellsville Road, just past the Clark County line headed north on Monday, June 4 – ‘Worst I’ve seen in 18 years’ Courtesy Photographer Booth Scates told us.

Of that deluge here, County Administrator Doug Stanley noted that “the county received 7 to 10 inches of rain from Friday through Sunday evening.”  But after two weeks of periodic downpours, Stanley added of what we sort of already knew:

“With the ground already saturated, much of the heavy rain was run off into already full creeks, streams and low lying areas. During this new rain storm on Sunday morning, rapid flash flooding caused flooding roadways, cutting off traffic routes along Happy Creek Road, John Marshal Highway and Oregon Hollow Rd in Linden and Howellsville Road.”

Quoting from a report issued by County Emergency Services Chief Richard Mabie on Monday, June 4, Stanley also reported the county, “experienced three vehicles in flood waters with rescues by passersby.  Boats 6 and 3 rescued a citizen on Howellsville Rd.  Boat 6 also made a water rescue in Clarke, off of Howellsville Road.  Boats 14 and 3 rescued and removed eleven trailer occupants at North Fork Campground … Monday, Fire & Rescue sent a boat to search for and recover a dog that drowned in the owner’s car. Overall Fire & Rescue recorded 12 to 14 boat rescues over the weekend.  They also had a couple of river rescue calls in Frederick County.”

Stanley also noted that Shenandoah Farms Volunteer Company 6 had been cut off by flooding on two sides – “the only way out was over the mountain to Linden.  Chief Mabie held a shift over so they could staff the engine and ambulance and provide a boat operator.  He did the same thing with (Front Royal) Station 1 with off duty shift, mainly to keep a boat operator available.  With the water levels continuing to go down we expect things to return to normal sometime today.”

You can only hope!!! – As this reporter continues to stop work on this story Tuesday afternoon to do a periodic anti-rain and “Here Comes the Sun” dance to facilitate the drying of several savable items out of his home’s basement.  And I do want to nominate our new sump pump for exceptional service under duress over the course of the three days of Biblical-like atonement – there is little doubt it could have been worse; as it no doubt WAS for many.

Courtesy photo

The county administrator concluded by acknowledging a number of local roads still closed around the county, including as VDOT’s Carter had observed earlier, the new Morgan’s Ford low-water Bridge/Route 624 which was closed “early Sunday and remained closed through last night (Monday, June 4).”

Stanley noted that many roads that had flooded would “probably remain closed until VDOT can clean up debris and check for road surface damage.”

Courtesy photo

Sanitary District roads report

During his Sanitary District report, Stanley added some specifics on local road damages.

“Luckily we have sustained no major damages or washouts and all roads are passable in the Shenandoah Farms, Lake Front Royal, and Linden Heights Sanitary Districts.  There is widespread minor roadway surface washout, sediment build up, clogged culverts, etc. throughout the districts.

Courtesy photo

“The worst of the damage in the Shenandoah Farms Sanitary District appears to be along Reynolds Drive, where creeks cross the roadway at several locations.  We also have some damage on Drummer Hill Road at the end of VDOT maintenance.  The end section of one of the two 60-inch culverts in the Venus Branch stream separated and caused the shoulder area to undermine and collapse.  The roadway crossing is still safe; however staff has restricted the travel width down to approximately 14-feet, with traffic barrels/cones as a safety precaution.  Once the water fully recedes staff will make a full evaluation of the damages and assess how to make full repairs.

“Staff was out of over the weekend monitoring conditions.  Yesterday and today staff will be attempting to spot-repair roadway surfaces and will continue to do so as receding water allows.  Sediment/debris removal and the cleaning of culverts will also be necessary as time and conditions allow.”

Ahh good, it’s 2:30 p.m. and the sun is back out…