Evacuations underway after dams in Wabash, Huntington counties open
ANDREWS, Ind. (WANE) The Army Corp. of Engineers began releasing water from dams at the Salamonie Reservoir and Roush Lake in Wabash and Huntington counties Tuesday afternoon because the two bodies of water had reached capacity due to a record month of rain. As a precaution, people living along River Road in Andrews were asked to voluntarily evacuate. An area in Huntington near North Rangeline Road was also evacuated.
Emergency management officials told WANE-TV the dams began releasing additional water at 2 p.m. and opened more by 3 p.m.
“It is opening at 7,500 cubic feet per second that’s coming out of the Roush Dam,” said Andrews Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Wuensch. “The Salamonie is coming out at 9,500 cubic feet per second.”
To put that in perspective, it would take 70-80 seconds to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool at that rate.
According to a recording with the Army Corp, the Salamonie Dam is releasing at its maximum flow. The Roush Dam’s recording is expected to continue overnight.
It’s the third time homes along River Road were told to evacuate. “They’re getting tired of it,” Wuensch said about the homeowners along the river. “The first time they never really saw anything. The second time they did. Now this is the third time we’ve went door-to-door.”
Between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., water levels in the Wabash River rose three feet. Flooding is expected as a result of the water being released, but officials don’t know how severe it will be.
The water being released from the Salamonie Reservoir flows into the Salamonie River. The water being released from Roush Lake flows into the Wabash River. The Salamonie River meets the Wabash River near the town of Lagro.
Wuensch said the Army Corp told him it would take approximately 11 hours for towns in Wabash County to see the effects of the dams opening. Areas east of there, or between there and the dams, were the first expected to see flooding issues, if they arise.
This is apparently the first instance of the Salamonie Reservoir and Roush Lake being at capacity at the same time.
“This is something we’ve never seen before,” said Huntington County EMA Deputy Director Jim Guy. “Water that’s standing in places that have never been affected by water. I’m not talking about a little puddle. I’m talking about lake-sized.”
The Wabash County Emergency Management Agency opened a command post at the courthouse at 9:00 p.m. Tuesday to monitor water levels overnight. Director Keith Walters said the Red Cross has opened a shelter at the Christian Church, located at 110 W. Hill Street in Wabash.
People who come to use the shelter are encouraged to bring the following items:
Pillow and sleeping bag (for added comfort on our cots)
Personal medication
Personal hygiene products
For more information on the dams, call the following:
Roush Dam – 502-315-6755
Salamonie Dam – 502-315-6925