The following story was posted on Tuesday in the Bluffton Icon and was updated for Ada Icon viewers. The above story is also posted on the Bluffton Icon.
With 3.34 inches of rain from Friday to Monday – according to Guy Verhoff, Pandora, weather observer – area streams overflowed their banks leaving Bluffton almost an island as Riley Creek also overflowed on Tuesday.
Bluffton emergency services had prepared for the flooding, as announced by Rick Skilliter, Bluffton police chief, at Monday’s council meeting.
At 7:53 a.m. on Tuesday the police department Nixle messages warned residents: “Advisory: College Ave. is flooded. Cherry St. is just now flooding. Prepare for moderate flooding. Many streets will likely be impacted today. Do not drive through water.”
At approximately 9:45 a.m. the northbound Interstate 75 lane was closed due to high water.
Flooding closed the following Bluffton streets on Tuesday:
• North Main at China Wok and Mustard Seed Café
• Vance Street entirely closed
• Cherry Street at Vance
• East College Avenue at Harmon Field
• Triplett Drive near College Avenue
• West College Avenue at the Snyder Circle on Bluffton University campus
• The village park off County Line Road
• Buckeye park was entirely underwater
While Bluffton's flood water disappeared, on Wednesday 1,000 sandbags were prepared for use by Bluffton residents as more rain is anticipated.
