1937 Ohio River Flood - Portsmouth, OH
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 38° 43.902 W 083° 00.034
17S E 326107 N 4288903
This is one of several high water marks in downtown Portsmouth, Ohio, for the 1937 flooding of the Ohio River, a few hundred yards from this location. The river crested at 74 feet, well above the flood wall erected after the disastrous 1913 flood.
Waymark Code: WM5DFH
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 12/22/2008
Views: 13
This high water mark is located on the side of one of the buildings in the historic Boneyfiddle District in downtown Portsmouth, Ohio. The building is now home to Scattered Images, a tattoo shop, at 605 Second St.
The plaque indicates a high water mark of 74.23 feet on January 27, 1937.
The river reached its peak on January 26, at 79.9 feet (24.4 m). Ohio River levels on January 26-27 were the highest known from Gallipolis downstream past Cincinnati. Crests were 20 to 28 feet (8.5 m) above flood stage and 4 to 9 feet (2.7 m) above previous records. Six to 12 inches (300 mm) of rain fell in Ohio during January 13-25, 1937, totals never before or since experienced over such a large area of Ohio. January 1937 remains as the wettest month ever recorded in Ohio.
The Ohio River crested at 80 feet (24 m) at Cincinnati on January 26. This was 28 feet (8.5 m) over flood stage and 9 feet (2.7 m) above the 1884 record. More than 50,000 were homeless, 10% of the city was inundated, water supply was cut, and streetcar service was curtailed.
At Portsmouth, it became clear that the flood wall, erected 10 feet (3.0 m) above flood stage, would be topped by the rising river. City officials deliberately opened the flood gates and allowed river water to flood the business district 8 to 10 feet (3.0 m) deep, thus preventing a catastrophic breaching of the flood wall.
The Ohio River eventually crested 14 feet (4.3 m) over the top of the floodwall. Among the flood structures was Crosley Field, home field of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. The death toll of 10 was remarkably low for such a devastating flood and contrasts sharply with the 467 killed in the floods of March 1913.
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