VERMILION, Ohio — A perfect storm of frigid temperatures followed by rapid thawing and rain has had Vermilion on alert for the risk of ice jams.
Ice jams happen when chunks of ice clump together to block the flow of a river. This can then cause flooding in communities near the river.
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To prevent the frozen Vermilion River from jamming with ice and flooding its banks, a floating “ice breaker” began work Thursday to keep the water moving.
“We’re definitely racing against time right now,” said Bruce Wright of NGW Civil/Marine Construction.
The city hired the company several years ago to be available for ice breaking on the river. Friday, the crew operated an excavator on a barge, using brute strength to smash through frozen sections.
“Yesterday we were getting stuff that was almost a foot thick out in the mouth. The rain’s kind of helping. The rain will actually erode it, soften it,” Wright said.
He added the rain was another hazard to race, with precipitation threatening to raise river levels.
“The worst possible scenario is heavy rains south of us here, which is just kind of starting. So we’re a little bit concerned about that,” he said.
In previous years, high water levels, quickly thawing ice and large ice chunks clogging riverbeds have been more dramatic. The combination can raise the river outside its banks and push large ice sheets onto roads and property.
The fire department will recommend an evacuation in low-lying neighborhoods under those circumstances.
“One of the issues we’ve had in the past is gas meters getting taken out by the ice," explained Vermilion Fire Chief Bill Brown.
Over the past week, first responders have been monitoring the river for signs of ice jams and flooding.
“We just want to make sure that people are aware and when it’s time to leave, they should,” Brown said.
By Friday evening, the ice-breaking crew had loosened enough of the frozen river to mitigate flooding risks.
“That’s why the city has us doing this. It’s protecting all the residents,” Wright said. “There’s probably $100 million worth of houses that are in jeopardy. Everything down here could flood. That’s quite a bit of [a] responsibility.”
Vermilion leaders said neighbors, first responders and others regularly monitor the river for signs of ice jams.
The Vermilion Fire Department planned to take advantage of the icy conditions Saturday for an annual ice rescue training session.
