Photo by Warren Scott Even as the Ohio River receded, high water still covered a few streets, including the south end of Charles Street near the city’s wastewater treatment plant, on Friday.

STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County emerged from last week’s flooding event “in pretty good shape,” according to the county emergency management agency director Friday.

“We’ve dealt with events that have caused a lot more damage than what this one has caused,” said John Parker, as cleanup efforts began in the region’s riverside communities.

Waters began cresting on the Ohio side Thursday evening into early Friday morning, Parker said, leaving behind relatively low levels of damage — historically speaking — as they began to recede. Damage from the flood has so far been limited to mostly nuisance-level issues, such as residual mud and debris, and the county’s major infrastructure seems to have escaped unperturbed.

Parker said the EMA will continue to monitor for flood-related issues, including mudslides, which he said become more likely with saturated ground, combined with rapid freezing and thawing.

Rob Herrington, co-director of the EMA, reported Thursday that 16 roads in the county were closed due to flooding, and a small number of mudslides occurred, though they were seen mostly along county roads, which are being addressed by the county highway maintenance department.

One water rescue was performed in Rayland, a low-lying community that has historically been quick to flood even during moderate weather events, Parker said. Although other at-risk Rayland residents had already evacuated, two individuals who lived in a mobile home were rescued by boat after waters surrounded the residence.

Apart from that, no other rescues have been necessary, said Herrington, who also serves as director of Jefferson County 911. Unlike a quick and largely unexpected flash flood scenario, this flooding event gave time enough for individuals to evacuate, which they did.

“People are heeding the cautions, so we haven’t had much of a problem with (rescues),” Herrington said, adding, “We’re really happy with people in this county in regard to this particular emergency.”

Herrington emphasized that, if individuals come upon high water, they should remember the motto “turn around, don’t drown.” Additionally, he said, vehicles should not be driven into water.

Now begins the cleanup process, which Parker said some municipalities have already started. Efforts will mainly include clearing away mud and debris, with some residents’ basements needing to be pumped by local fire departments.

“The people that live in this area are resilient. They deal with (flooding) all the time when we have these major weather events,” Parker said, adding that the EMA is an available resource for individuals dealing with the flood’s fallout.

Herrington noted that riverfront community members who have long faced the challenges of flooding are familiar with how to interpret water levels and determine where in the community certain high levels will reach.

Cross Creek Township trustees have advised a 200-foot section of township Road 166 between County Road 22A and Broadacre has been closed indefinitely because of a slip that has resulted in two large crevices in the roadway.

They hope to secure funds to repair the road.

Jefferson County may have escaped relatively unharmed, but the same can’t be said for communities across the river in West Virginia, where Parker said more damage was experienced in residential areas.

Flooding in Wellsburg was enough to warrant a state of emergency. Sheriff Rich Beatty said Thursday that the declaration was meant to keep non-residents out of first responders’ paths as they addressed the local flooding situation.

West Virginia Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Wellsburg, noted city residents’ resiliency, but added, “Flooding is really what has hurt downtown Wellsburg.”

Residential, commercial and municipal buildings in the low-lying south end of the city experienced basement flooding, with large portions of streets blocked off to traffic.

Weld said the city has suffered from previous major floods, including ones in 1996, 2004 and 2005. Most notably, he said, the city was largely underwater during a 1936 flood.

Occurring prior to the area implementing a lock and dam system, the 1936 flood left a water mark so high that a bronze plaque, mounted on the city’s WesBanco building and marking the height, is posted well above the average human’s vertical reach.

Difficult for homeowners is the federal mandate for homes and businesses in high-risk flood areas to have flood insurance if those buildings have a government-backed mortgage. The cost of that insurance can be too burdensome for potential buyers, Weld said.