FLOOD WATER CLOSES HIGHWAYS - Southern Calhoun Hardest Hit, U. S. 119 And Alvord Section Flooded In Roane

(03/20/2002)

Water surrounds "Y Mart" in Arnoldsburg

Route 16 flood at Arnoldsburg "Y," trucks cautiously go through water

Heavy rains fell on already saturated ground in parts of West Virginia during the night causing flooding. Southern Calhoun experienced the greatest rainfall, causing the West Fork of the Little Kanawha to flood and roads to be closed. Water rushed into Millstone from Sand Ridge to create backwater at the Arnoldsburg "Y" where State Route 16 was covered by water.

The Little Kanawha River at Grantsville is expected to crest above flood stage, early Thursday.

Several businesses and houses experienced damage in southern Calhoun.

Schools in Calhoun and Roane County were closed for the day.

Water was over Route 16 at several locations up the West Fork from Arnoldsburg during most of the day. Water surrounded the "Y Mart" store and service station during most of the day, but did not enter the nearby restaurant. A mud slide damaged Rick's Part's near the Speedy Mart during the early morning hours, and water surrounded the Arnoldsburg Elementary School, but did not enter the building.

The road adjacent the West Fork down the river from Arnoldsburg was covered in numerous places. Henry's Fork from the Pink area to where the stream empties into the West Fork several miles away was heavily flooded.

Alvord section, historically floods in Spencer

The Spencer area was hit, more unusually in the U.S. 119 area south of Spencer toward Walton, the old Charleston Road. The road to Wal-Mart was closed. Water was over the highway in several places, and a family had to be evacuated from a house near Harmony.

Also water was high in the Route 36 area, the southern part of the county. The Alvord section of Spencer, which experiences historical flooding, was covered by water.

The Spencer-Roane VFD and other Roane county fire departments were on alert, but most of the work was related to clean-up later in the day.

Henry's Fork flooded from Pink to West Fork,
shown here at Corder Bridge

Looking up West Fork from community park

Molasses Festival grounds partially covered

Water over three feet deep, closes Altizer Road

Arnoldsburg School in distance surrounded by water