UPDATED 12:52 P.M.
Cacapon State Park officials announced they are evacuating cabins there out of concern that the upper reservoir dam was at risk of failing due to flooding. The dam, situated roughly a quarter of a mile west of cabins in the lower part of the park, serves as a reservoir for the resort. That dam was reinforced and slightly reconfigured last year as part of a $1.7 million dam project. The reservoir dam is 36 feet tall, 550 feet wide and holds back six and a half acres of water that runs down the eastern slope of Cacapon Mountain. A flood spillway was added during the dam upgrades. Several cabins are also located above the reservoir dam and are only accessible by a roadway that would be flooded if water breached the dam.
Emergency officials continue to conduct swift water rescues in multiple parts of the county. 911 has dispatched river rescue crews to Fish Hatchery Road, Kilgore Road and Cacapon Road.
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Waves of heavy rain overnight and Sunday morning have overwhelmed Morgan County roadways, streams and rivers, causing widespread flooding incidents from Paw Paw to eastern Morgan County. Morgan County officials declared a State of Emergency at 10:40 a.m.
“Several flood related emergencies have been reported, road conditions continue to deteriorate in low lying areas,” county officials said. “Please remain off the roadways unless absolutely necessary.”
Morgan County’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated to secure resources for emergency responders and residents facing high water, said Emergency Management Director Dick Myers. Residents are asked to report flooding conditions to the 911 center at 304-258-0305.
Those living in areas prone to flooding have already seen impacts this morning. Homes in Paw Paw, Great Cacapon and Berkeley Springs have been flooded. Myers said as of 10:30 a.m., responders had made two water rescues — one on Williams Street in Berkeley Springs and another in Paw Paw. Morgan County has requested boat units from Berkeley County, Washington and Allegany counties in Maryland and Frederick County, Va. to assist to reaching residents cut off by rising water.
According to Myers, the following roadways in Morgan County are closed and should be avoided:
4754 Johnsons Mill Rd (Low Water Bridge)
2007 Powerhouse (Low Water Bridge)
8800 Martinsburg Rd
1300 Fairview Dr.
Martinsburg Rd and Peer Lane
3500 Cacapon Rd
Martinsburg Road and Sheppard Lane
7260 Valley Rd
8451 Valley Rd
Spielman Rd @ Winchester Grade Ed.
Winchester St. Paw Paw
Paw Paw Rd @ Camp Hill
Paw Paw Rd. @ Woodrow Church
Jimstown Rd @ James St.
Whisner Ave – 3 Trailers in the area
6151 Winchester Grade Rd.
Quaint Acres Lane
718 Sandmine Rd
Cacapon Rd between Great Cacapon and Paw Paw is closed per DOH
Dehaven Rd.
In downtown Berkeley Springs, Warm Springs Run had left its banks by 9 a.m. and flooded the Berkeley Springs State Park, the baseball fields at Berkeley Springs High School and several buildings along the run, including homes and at least one church.
Cacapon Road has debris washed across it in spots, and sections of high standing water. The road between Great Cacapon and Paw Paw is now closed and is underwater at Wiggins Run Road. Route 9 in Paw Paw is submerged near the Paw Paw Schools.
This is a developing story, and will be updated as information becomes available.
Westbound Cacapon Road.
Cacapon Road.
Berkeley Springs State Park, 9 a.m. June 3
A home along Warm Springs Run on Concord Avenue.
Church in Great Cacapon.
