High water closes Pleasants, Noble schools Friday
A branch of Wolf Creek near Anderson Road and Ohio 676 flows near the top of its bank Friday morning after heavy rains near Watertown. Small streams throughout the area had high volume as a result of the precipitation. (Photo by Art Smith)
Water covers the track and football and baseball fields at Shenandoah High School in Sarahsville, Ohio, Friday. Noble Local and Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Noble County were closed Friday because of high water and flooding. (Photo Provided)
Water covers the track and football and baseball fields at Shenandoah High School in Sarahsville, Ohio, Friday. Noble Local and Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Noble County were closed Friday because of high water and flooding. (Photo Provided)
Shenandoah Elementary School is visible from the stands at the partially flooded football field at Shenandoah Zeps stadium Friday. Noble Local and Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Noble County were closed Friday because of high water and flooding. (Photo Provided)
A branch of Wolf Creek near Anderson Road and Ohio 676 flows near the top of its bank Friday morning after heavy rains near Watertown. Small streams throughout the area had high volume as a result of the precipitation. (Photo by Art Smith)
Water covers the track and football and baseball fields at Shenandoah High School in Sarahsville, Ohio, Friday. Noble Local and Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Noble County were closed Friday because of high water and flooding. (Photo Provided)
Water covers the track and football and baseball fields at Shenandoah High School in Sarahsville, Ohio, Friday. Noble Local and Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Noble County were closed Friday because of high water and flooding. (Photo Provided)
Shenandoah Elementary School is visible from the stands at the partially flooded football field at Shenandoah Zeps stadium Friday. Noble Local and Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Noble County were closed Friday because of high water and flooding. (Photo Provided)
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ST. MARYS -- Persistent rain and rising waters disrupted school for students in Pleasants and Noble counties Friday.
Pleasants County Schools officials surveyed the bus routes Friday morning and deemed them safe, said Eric Croasmun, director of curriculum, instruction and personnel. But as rain continued to fall, "they were concerned that in the lower-lying areas where a lot of our buses go, there was water coming up."
In order to make sure students got home before road conditions became a problem, the decision was made to close school at 1 p.m., he said.
In Noble County, the Caldwell Exempted Village and Noble Local school districts did not hold classes Friday due to overnight flooding.
Chris Rich, transportation coordinator for Noble Local Schools, said the creek that runs between Shenandoah Elementary and High School had overflowed, preventing access to the elementary school and administration building. Water was interfering with bus routes in the communities of Carlisle and Pleasant City as well.
Even if those issues hadn't been present, the continuing rainfall posed a problem, Rich said.
"Then you run the risk of having them (students) stuck at school," he said.
A flood watch was in effect until 2 p.m. Saturday for much of the region.
Flood warnings were issued for the Lower Salem, Macksburg and Dart areas Friday afternoon until 5:45 p.m. after between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain fell.
According to the National Weather Service, an automated gauge indicated Duck Creek at Macksburg had reached a flood stage of 13 feet and was rising around 12:50 p.m., resulting in flooding in Macksburg and Lower Salem. Meanwhile, a little after 1 p.m. a gauge on the Little Muskingum River showed water exceeding the 16-foot flood stage, with flooding expected near Ohio 26 and 260.
A Washington County Sheriff's Office dispatcher said no significant high water issues had been reported as of 4:30 p.m.
The Ohio River is projected to continue rising through Sunday afternoon at Marietta and Parkersburg but is not expected to reach flood stage, according to the Weather Service.
A wind advisory was posted for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday in Wood, Wirt, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane and Tyler counties in West Virginia and Washington, Athens and Morgan counties in Ohio.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.