In the Forecast: Ohio River continues to recede; rainfall could create new flooding
- The Peoples Bank Foundation made a $10,000 donation to the Marietta Community Foundation’s Hardship & Disaster Relief Fund on Monday. Pictured are Peoples Bank President & CEO Tyler Wilcox; Staci Matheney, Peoples Bank Foundation President; and Heather Allender, Marietta Community Foundation President & CEO. (Photo Provided)
- Jamie Lee McCormick, owner of The Flower Daddy shop on Washington Boulevard in Belpre, has been collecting and distributing cleaning supplies for people in the area affected by flooding. Many of the supplies were donated to him by customers and clients. (Photo Provided)

Jamie Lee McCormick, owner of The Flower Daddy shop on Washington Boulevard in Belpre, has been collecting and distributing cleaning supplies for people in the area affected by flooding. Many of the supplies were donated to him by customers and clients. (Photo Provided)
MARIETTA — As the Ohio River has gone down following last week’s flooding, the Muskingum River has seen a slight increase as the area continues the cleanup process.
The National Weather Service in Charleston reported Monday that the Ohio River continues to go down and the Muskingum River in Washington County has been lowering since Saturday and then started to rise again Saturday evening and into Sunday morning. It was at 26.15 feet at 1 p.m. Monday. It is expected to reach back up to 26.4 feet by 9 a.m. today before receding and maintaining a 26-foot level for the rest of the week.
The Ohio River continues to come down after cresting Friday at over 40 feet. By 1 p.m. Monday it was at 26.5 feet and continuing a downward trajectory.
Meteorologist Joe Curtis with the National Weather Service in Charleston said the Muskingum River was “a little high” which he attributes to possible runoff to the north and east in Ohio.
“We are not really anticipating it to go too much higher,” he said. “They should remain steady and even fall over the next couple of days.

The Peoples Bank Foundation made a $10,000 donation to the Marietta Community Foundation’s Hardship & Disaster Relief Fund on Monday. Pictured are Peoples Bank President & CEO Tyler Wilcox; Staci Matheney, Peoples Bank Foundation President; and Heather Allender, Marietta Community Foundation President & CEO. (Photo Provided)
“We don’t really expect the water levels to rise over the next couple of days.”
According to the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) website, a series of dams and lakes were built and are owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to control the flow of water into the Muskingum River.
The Ohio River levels are continuing to go down, Curtis said.
“The Ohio River at Marietta, those water levels will continue to fall throughout the rest of this week,” Curtis said. “We do seem to have a break for the next couple of days.”
Today, there will be a chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 3 pm, the National Weather Service reported. It is expected to be mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. There is a 40% chance of precipitation.
Showers will be likely with a possibility of a thunderstorm with a low around 55. The chance of rain this evening will be 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch could be possible with more if there are thunderstorms.
The chance of rain will continue into Wednesday at 70%, Thursday at 100% and Friday at 80% before starting to clear off, according to the weather service.
It is expected to be sunny on Saturday with a high of 67, they reported.
Curtis said the weather service wasn’t too concerned about the possibility of rain today and Wednesday, but it is expected to be light. The most significant chance of excessive rainfall will be on Thursday.
“That is the next chance we could have some really heavy rain,” he said. “It is possible we could see some flooding later in the week.”
A representative from the Washington County Emergency Management Agency said clean-up efforts have begun just as they have for past floods. Cleaning supplies have been distributed and dumpsters have been set up around the city and county, he added. The American Red Cross also has teams out doing damage assessment, the representative said.
Jamie Lee McCormick, owner of The Flower Daddy shop on Washington Boulevard in Belpre, has been collecting and distributing cleaning supplies for people in the area.
He has been making sets of various cleaning supplies to give out. The sets have included bleach, masks, gloves, vinegar, scrub brushes, all purpose cleaners, drinking water and other supplies.
“It has been a little bit of everything,” McCormick said.
At one point, he stopped counting what he has given out but said they have given supplies out to a lot of people. He had given out supplies to eight households on Monday.
Many of the cleaning supplies were donations made by some of his regular customers and the Belpre Ministries organization which was also handing out supplies to those who needed it.
He is also receiving help from other friends around the country who contributed to an Amazon list of needed items.
“I have friends all over the country,” he said. “Most of it came from customers and clients.
“They are very loyal with some who come twice a week or a month and this time some brought cleaning supplies.”
When the flooding started, McCormick said he was feeling helpless, wondering what he could do to help. Since receiving the donations he is feeling very hopeful.
“We have a very generous community,” he said. “There are still good people out here.”
He has provided supplies to homes, businesses, community organizations and others.
In talking with many, McCormick said people are dealing with a lot of mud. Others are wondering if they can clean up the mess or if they will have to do more extensive renovations, he said.
The flooding took some by surprise and others weren’t prepared for it, McCormick said of some people who had to hurry up and try to save as much as they could.
“It was sad and last week I was really down,” McCormick said. “My spirits changed when I saw how generous people were.”
Gov. Jim Justice updated last week’s State of Emergency to include Pleasants County, bringing the total number of counties under a State of Emergency to 15 because of last week’s severe weather.
The Pleasant County 911 Director said although Justice has declared a State of Emergency for the county, there has been no significant damage done by flood waters.
Sharron Kesselring, the executive director of the American Red Cross of Northwest West Virginia, said they haven’t finished with their full assessment of flood damage, and those impacted, but they have had very few instances where they needed to step in for aid.
“It’s never an easy thing when dealing with flood water,” Kesselring said. “But It was not as devastating as it might have been.”
She said she believes most learned from past experience and were prepared for the rising water. She commended the City of Marietta and the way people came together to help prepare for the rising water.
“They were very well organized,” Kesselring said of Washington County officials and citizens. “They really came together as a community should.”
The Peoples Bank Foundation made a $10,000 donation to the Marietta Community Foundation’s Hardship & Disaster Relief Fund on Monday, according to a press release from the Foundation.
This donation follows the April 2024 flood affecting the Mid-Ohio Valley.
The fund provides assistance to Washington County residents facing unforeseen emergencies or natural disasters.
“Our communities support one another, especially in times of crisis,” said Tyler Wilcox, Peoples Bank President & CEO, in the press release. “We want to be able to positively impact our neighbors and know this donation will touch many lives as we work together to overcome this challenge.”
Staff Reporter Douglass Huxley contributed to this story
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com