YOUR INFORMATION NEWSLETTER FROM NORTHFIELD CENTER TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE
PAUL G. BUESCHER
~ KEEPING NCT RESIDENTS INFORMED SINCE 2005 ~
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#481 THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2017
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HEAVY DOWNPOURS FLOOD NORTHFIELD CENTER & SURROUNDING AREAS
Storms moved into the Nordonia Hills communities at around 5:45PM this evening. By 6:30PM numerous reports of street and yard flooding began pouring in. WOIO TV-19’s Jason Nicholas even mentioned Northfield Center getting pounded by rain. The rainfall was measured at two-inches in a half-hour. At the height of the storm I drove around the Township and witnessed the flooding first hand. All of the usual flood prone areas were underwater. Our Road Department and the Sheriff’s Office closed many of the flooded streets until the water subsides.
Folks, many of the complaints received were requests for help due to ditches backing up into yards. I have to be perfectly honest when I say that there is not much, if anything, that the Township can do when the rainfall is so heavy and fast. This was perhaps a ten-year storm event. The main drainage tributaries, which eventually drain into Brandywine creek, are unable to handle this kind of rainfall. When the water has nowhere to go, it backs up and causes the flooding that many of us witnessed.
During my drive through I saw many culvert pipes blocked by leaves, branches and other debris, all of which caused very noticeable backups and street flooding. There were many areas of our streets with water over the road surface up to two-feet deep!
In these cases, there is nothing that our Road Department can do because the causes are occurring on private property or within the responsibility of Summit County.
As I write this (10PM), there is more rain on the way this evening. The weather service is calling for much more raintomorrow, including the strong possibility of severe weather. If you are able, please make sure that your drainage culvert pipes are clear of debris. Our heavy rain season is just beginning. If everyone does their part to keep drainage systems open we could hopefully minimize some flood damage!
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Thank you,
Paul G. Buescher
Northfield Center Twp. Trustee – Chairman
330-467-9451
TrusteeBuescher@aol.com
www.northfieldcenter.com
AMATEUR RADIO STATION N8HHG
