A man wades through waist-high water and vehicle is partially submerged in the middle of South Huron Street on Wheeling Island Thursday. Much of the south end of Wheeling Island was closed to traffic Thursday as the Ohio River neared major flooding levels when it reached its crest. (Photos by Eric Ayres)

WHEELING – Most residents of Wheeling Island were as prepared as they could be for the Ohio River’s crest near the major flood level Thursday, and many of them have been through the drill a number of times in the past.

By early afternoon on Thursday, the National Weather Service measured the Wheeling gauge of the U.S. Geological Survey at over 40 feet. The river crested at 41.49 at around 8 p.m. — just below major flood stage of 42 feet — according the National Weather Service.

Flooding is a fact of life for those who live on a river island. Despite the threat of impending flood damage, several Wheeling Islanders met Mother Nature’s wrath calmly and with reasonably positive attitudes in light of the inevitable circumstances.

Anne and Tom Samol of North Front Street on Wheeling Island know – to the inch – at what flood levels their basement will get water versus when it will be thoroughly flooded.

“We have it marked inside the house – the ’96 flood, 2004 and 2005,” Anne Samol said. “It starts in our basement at 39.5 (feet). Once it gets over a certain area, it goes right down into the basement.”

Samol said water leaks through bricks when the water is high and brings a few inches of water into the basement. But when the Ohio River swells to reach the back doors of homes on North Front Street along the waterfront, the basement steps eventually become a waterfall.

Like many other Island residents, the Samols brought everything valuable out of the basement. And with the high water expected to top out at around 42 feet, they were confident that the river would not reach the side yard or the street. The scene looked as if they were getting ready for a massive yard sale – one that featured major appliances.

“My husband pulled the hot water tank, we had to bring up the washer and the dryer, we keep a refrigerator down there, the furnace has to be pulled …” she said. “We know when it needs to be done.”

By early afternoon, those who have experienced flooding on Wheeling Island were simply playing the waiting game in anticipation of receding waters.

Many residents of Wheeling Island removed hot water tanks, furnaces, washers, dryers and all other valuables from their basements before the Ohio River crested near a major flood level on Thursday. (Photos by Eric Ayres)

“Now all you can do is wait until it goes down, and then as soon as it starts, you have to start hosing, because you don’t want mud drying on any part of cement, or brick or anything,” Anne Samol said. “Because then you’ll have a terrible mess to deal with.”

Wheeling Ward 2 Councilman Ben Seidler, who also resides on North Front Street and represents the Wheeling Island neighborhood, noted that the Island veterans not only are familiar with the routine of flood preparation but also are keen to the streets on the Island that typically stay dry and which ones end up underwater.

“Most of the south end has taken water, and parts of the north end of the Island closer to the back channel are getting it, too,” Seidler said Thursday afternoon while he and his neighbors hunkered down while keeping one eye on the river that consumed their backyards. “By this point, most folks have taken the needed steps to prepare and are now watching and waiting for it to finish.”

Many “Island Rats” that live in the high-water zones took action Thursday morning to relocate their vehicles to higher ground on the Island or even downtown. The city of Wheeling offered free parking in the 10th Street Parking Garage and the Intermodal Parking Garage for residents affected by the flooding.

Obviously, some residents did not get ahead of the water, as a number of cars parked on South Huron Street were submerged above their wheels on streets that were closed to traffic by the Wheeling authorities.

A vehicle is partially submerged in flood waters in the middle of South Huron Street on Wheeling Island Thursday. Much of the south end of Wheeling Island was closed to traffic Thursday as the Ohio River neared major flooding levels when it reached its crest. (Photos by Eric Ayres)

“We have our Swift Water Response Team staged here in case we have to help anyone,” Assistant Fire Chief Paul Harto said, noting that rescue boats and larger vehicles were kept at the ready. “It’s certainly not the first time we’ve seen water like this here – there’s a few old timers around. But I’ll say this is the first time in probably 20 years that it’s been this high.”

Crews from the Wheeling Fire Department and Wheeling Police Department were staged in locations around the Island to assist residents. Interstate 70 Exit 0 remained open, providing access to and from Wheeling Island. The bridge connecting the Island to Bridgeport also remained open, as did the main east-west traffic artery of Zane Street and other side streets that remained dry.

However, much of the south end of Wheeling Island was inaccessible Thursday. Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack was temporarily closed on Wednesday evening and was to remain closed until further notice. The casino parking lot and Wheeling Island Stadium were submerged by early afternoon Thursday.

Before the river crested Thursday, many people were still scrambling to secure valuables before the flood reached its peak. Christian Clark of St. Clairsville operates the Bird Scooters in Wheeling and was busy rounding up all of the scooters that were left in the flood-prone areas.

“We definitely wanted to pick them all up from the Island,” Clark said, loading one of more than a half dozen Bird Scooters into the back of his truck near Abbey’s Restaurant & Lounge. “They all have GPS, so it’s easy to find them. We have 115 in total around town, and we’re taking all of the ones from the Island until it dries out.”

Dave Steele of South Wabash Street was wading through the knee-deep waters Thursday, coming from the flooded end of the Island to the drier, higher round near busy Zane Street.

Assistant Chief Paul Harto of the Wheeling Fire Department and Sgt. Jason Hupp of the Wheeling Police Department assist residents and employees of businesses located on Wheeling Island Thursday afternoon as flood waters reached their peak. (Photos by Eric Ayres)

“I pretty much opened up the garage and basement, took the hot water tank out and moved my truck to a buddy’s house up here,” Steele said, noting that over the decades, he’s seen it all before. “Maryland Street is higher in places, Indiana Street is higher … there are places that stay dry. And Island people stick together and try to help each other when they can.”

Wheeling City Councilman Ben Seidler looks over flood waters covering back yards of residences along North Front Street on Wheeling Island Thursday. (Photos by Eric Ayres)