By Dan Klepal
and Dave Eck
The Cincinnati Enquirer

As the Ohio River passed 49 feet Tuesday, buildings in low-lying areas, such as this near Rohde Avenue in the California neighborhood, were affected by surging water. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

The Ohio River is heading for a high water mark not seen since the Flood of 1997.

Hydrologists with the Ohio River Forecasting Center say the river will crest tonight in Cincinnati between 52 and 53 feet. Flood stage at Cincinnati is 52 feet.

It will be the highest river level since the spring of 1997, when the Ohio peaked at 64.7 feet in Cincinnati. Hundreds of residents were evacuated and homes were damaged in Clermont County, Anderson Township and the east side of Cincinnati.

Experts aren't predicting anything like that this week, although the river peaking at 53 feet is enough to cause inconveniences in low-lying areas.

Myron Padgett, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, said snowfall today and Thursday will only amount to about an inch. Temperatures will slowly rise through the weekend.

"We're not expecting (snow) melt to be a factor," Padgett said. "So we're talking about anything above flood stage being minor and fairly small."

In New Richmond, the magic number is 56.

At the clubhouse of the Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club on Harbor Street in California, Jason "The Kid" Moffitt and other club members were moving appliances as water surrounded the building. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

"As soon as it gets to 56 feet, we're going to be moving," said Jean Williams, owner of Geni's Styling Salon on Front Street for 26 years. "By 58 feet we're pushing water. We're not going to give it a chance to turn and find us again."

The Ohio River at flood stage commands attention on both of its banks.

Cincinnati is playing it safe and instituting flood-control measures. The same is true across the river in Covington, where the ramp that leads from Covington Landing to a barge holding several restaurants was closed. Covington City Engineer Terry Hughes said none of the floodgates will go up unless the river hits 54 feet "and rising."

Pat Karney, director of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District, said there are 13 entry points for floodwaters to reach downtown. One of the biggest is at the Barrier Dam, a 1948 structure south of Spinney Field where the Mill Creek meets the Ohio River.

Closing that entry point keeps the Mill Creek from flooding the Ohio, he said.

"Which is fine, but what we end up doing is turning the Mill Creek Valley into a bathtub."

At flood stage, Kellogg Road becomes impassable and all but two steps on the Serpentine Wall are underwater. Basements and backyards of riverside neighborhoods are flooded.

The high water is good for business at BIS, Business Information Systems. President Frank J. Albi said he's busy during times of flood with companies who need help moving and storing important records on higher ground.

Albi said his phone hasn't rung so much since 1997, the last time the Ohio was creeping over its banks.

"You have things like 9/11 and anthrax, those big spectacular disasters," Albi said. "But businesses around here worry about these natural disasters that have been with us forever."

Kelly McCord, office manager at the law firm Cors & Bassett on Pete Rose Way, is one of those people keeping an eye on the river. The law firm has an emergency plan to remove important records if floodwaters come close.

"We've got clients that are movers, so if need be, I'll place a call to them," McCord said. "We've never even come close to having to do that. But you just never know with any flood, so I'll be keeping tabs."

In Anderson Township, Kellogg Road, near River Downs, and Four Mile Road, between Kellogg and Gwendolyn Drive, were closed Tuesday because of high water. On Kellogg, some SUV drivers splashed through with water coming halfway up their vehicles.

Emergency management personnel say that it takes less than two feet of water to float some cars. They warn never to drive through standing water.

Workers at Coney Island have spent the last two days clearing out several areas of the park. The park is now ready for a river level approaching 56 feet, said President Vic Nolting.

In New Richmond, Kathy and Jerry England watched the swollen river from a dock on Front Street. The Englands live far from the flood-prone areas of downtown, but the river is still on their minds.

"I'd be a little concerned right now if I lived (in town)," Mrs. England said. "I remember the '97 flood. I've never seen water come up that fast."

Reporter Greg Korte contributed to this report.

E-mail dklepal@enquirer.com or gkorte@enquirer.com