The Tuscarawas River flooded New Philadelphia in 1913 — and still threatens today. Integrity Water Damage Restoration Ohio offers 24/7 emergency water restoration. Call (614) 956-3233 now.
Water Emergency Right Now?
Do these five things first — then let us take it from there.
- Stay safe first. Don't walk through standing water if the power may be on — and never touch submerged outlets, panels, or appliances.
- Stop the source if you can. Shut the main water valve for a burst pipe or appliance leak. For storm flooding, focus on safety, not the water.
- Call (614) 956-3233 now. Our dispatchers answer 24/7 and can talk you through the next steps while a crew rolls.
- Move what matters. Lift rugs, electronics, and furniture legs out of the water if it's safe to do so — every inch helps.
- Don't wait on drying. Mold can start within 24–48 hours. Fast professional drying is the difference between a cleanup and a rebuild.
01In 1913, New Philadelphia Crossed Its River by Ferry — for Months
The Great Ohio Flood of March 1913 washed the South Broadway bridge into the Tuscarawas River. With the crossing gone, residents of the Lockport and southside neighborhoods used ferries for months until a new bridge could be built. The flood swamped the area around the American Sheet and Tin Plate Co. steel plant and the B&O Railroad line. Tuscarawas County lost two lives and roughly $200,000 in bridge replacements — in 1913 dollars (Akron Beacon Journal, "Kaleidoscope: 100 years pass since big 1913 flood").
That was the catastrophic version. The chronic version never really stopped. In the December 2004–January 2005 flood (FEMA DR-1580), the USGS listed the Tuscarawas River at "Dover, New Philadelphia, Zoar, and above the Dover Dam" among affected areas, with 62 Ohio counties declared federal disaster areas. The remnants of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan in August/September 2004 (FEMA DR-1556) caused an estimated $222,700 in flood damages in Tuscarawas County. In February 2020, a flood warning brought 1.73 inches of rain at Harry Cleaver Field near New Philadelphia in under 24 hours, with evacuations in the region (WHBC 1480) — and another heavy-rain flooding event was recorded for the city on March 22, 2020.
New Philadelphia sits on the Tuscarawas River's western edge in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, and the river runs right through town — Ohio EPA's 2017 Tuscarawas biological study lists monitoring stations at "Tuscarawas R. at New Philadelphia @ Broadway Ave" and "near New Philadelphia, 1.0 mi dst U.S. Rt. 250." Floodplain neighborhoods sit on both sides of the river and around Broadway Avenue. If the river, the rain, or your plumbing puts water in your home, Integrity Water Damage Restoration Ohio responds 24/7. Call (614) 956-3233.
02The Tuscarawas River Floodplain: Which Neighborhoods Sit In It
Geography is the first half of New Philadelphia's water story. The Tuscarawas forms the city's western edge, and the floodplain wraps around it — the river corridor, Broadway Avenue, and the southside/Lockport area that ferried across the river in 1913. Sugar Creek joins the Tuscarawas about 4.5 miles upstream of the city, adding its watershed to what flows past town.
The second half is what humans built to hold the river back. About 3.5 miles northeast of Dover, upstream on the Tuscarawas mainstem, stands Dover Dam — an 83-foot-tall, 824-foot-long dry flood-control dam operated by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's the key piece of regional flood infrastructure protecting the valley, including the New Philadelphia area. Dry dams like Dover sit empty until flood flows arrive, then hold water back and release it slowly.
But "regulated" is not "immune." Dover Dam manages mainstem river flooding; it does nothing for flash flooding on tributaries, overwhelmed city storm sewers during intense rain, or the hillside runoff that the Plateau's steep ravines deliver into valley neighborhoods. The February and March 2020 events proved the point: heavy rain floods this city without the Tuscarawas ever leaving its banks.
03Separated Sewers — and Why Basements Still Flood
Here's a fact that surprises New Philadelphia homeowners: the city has 100% separated sewers (per Ohio EPA) — storm and sanitary flows run in different pipes. That eliminates combined-sewer surcharge, the backup driver that plagues older Ohio cities. But separated sewers don't stop basement flooding, because the dominant mechanism here is different: storm-sewer overwhelm.
When heavy rain falls faster than the storm-sewer system can carry it away, water backs up through storm inlets, ponds in streets and yards, and enters basements through windows, walls, and floor drains tied to foundation drainage. It arrives as stormwater, not sewage — cleaner, but just as destructive to drywall, flooring, and finishes. Add the city's housing stock — median year built 1962, meaning 60+ year-old homes with aging foundation drainage, original clay laterals, and older sump systems — and heavy rain finds every weakness half a century of settling has created.
Protecting a 1962-era New Philadelphia home:
- Maintain or install a sump pump with battery backup; test it before storm season.
- Keep foundation drainage (interior or exterior) clear and functional.
- Grade soil away from the foundation; extend downspouts well away from the house.
- Consider a backwater valve on the sanitary lateral as cheap insurance.
- Know your flood-zone status — floodplain homes near the river and Broadway corridor should carry NFIP flood coverage.
If your basement floods, call (614) 956-3233 immediately — and photograph everything before cleanup for your claim.
04Freeze-Thaw Pipe Bursts in Tuscarawas County Winters
The Plateau's winters bring the other classic water loss: frozen and burst pipes. Older plumbing in uninsulated crawlspaces, exterior walls, and the city's 1960s-era housing stock is vulnerable in deep freezes; a burst supply line discharges pressurized water into walls and ceilings until someone finds it.
If a pipe bursts: shut off the main water valve, shut off power to wet areas if safe from a dry location, and call (614) 956-3233. Move valuables, photograph everything, and don't run household fans on large losses — our contained, filtered drying equipment does the job without spreading moisture or contamination.
Our restoration process: rapid 24/7 dispatch → moisture mapping with meters and thermal imaging → truck-mounted extraction → industrial drying verified by daily moisture readings → antimicrobial treatment and mold prevention inside the 24–48 hour window → documented rebuild of drywall, flooring, and finishes → insurance-ready documentation at every step.
More Than Water Removal
Water is only the first problem. Here's what we actually fix when we walk through your door.
Structural Damage
Standing water weakens framing, subfloors, and foundations. Fast extraction stops a small leak from becoming a structural repair.
Mold Growth
Mold can colonize damp drywall within 48 hours. We dry to verified moisture standards and treat surfaces to prevent regrowth.
Health Risks
Sewage backups and long-standing water carry bacteria and contaminants. We clean and sanitize until the space is safe again.
Lingering Odors
A musty smell means moisture is still hiding somewhere. We find the source, dry it completely, and deodorize — never just mask it.
Ruined Floors & Walls
Buckled hardwood, swollen drywall, peeling paint. We remove what can't be saved and rebuild what matters, start to finish.
Insurance Stress
Claims stall on thin documentation. We photograph everything, log moisture readings daily, and deliver adjuster-ready reports.
05CTA Blocks
Flooding in New Philadelphia? Call Now — 24/7. River floods, flash floods, storm-sewer overwhelm, burst pipes — the Tuscarawas Valley has seen it all since 1913. Integrity Water Damage Restoration Ohio provides 24/7 emergency water extraction, verified drying, and rebuild. Call (614) 956-3233 for immediate response.
Free Moisture Inspection — New Philadelphia & Tuscarawas County Musty basement? Old flood damage never properly dried? We'll inspect, measure moisture behind walls and under floors, and tell you honestly what it needs — free. Serving New Philadelphia, Dover, and surrounding communities. Call (614) 956-3233.
“Every hour water sits, the damage — and the bill — grows.”
Call (614) 956-3233 — We Answer 24/7Why Ohio Homeowners Call Us First
- 24/7 live dispatch — a real person answers, day or night, holidays included
- 60-minute emergency response goal across our Ohio service area
- Upfront, honest pricing explained before work begins
- Insurance-ready documentation — photos, moisture logs, line-item reports
- Mold prevention built in — antimicrobial treatment on every drying job
- One accountable crew from emergency extraction to final repairs
Water Damage Can't Wait — Neither Do We
Our Ohio crews are on call 24/7 for emergency water extraction and drying.
Call (614) 956-3233 Now?Frequently Asked Questions — Water Damage in New Philadelphia
If you're in or near the mapped floodplain, yes — standard homeowners insurance excludes rising water from outside, including river flooding. Only an NFIP flood policy covers it. Check FEMA flood maps for your address, and call your agent before flood season, not during it.
Dover Dam — the 83-foot dry dam upstream near Dover — holds back mainstem Tuscarawas flood flows and releases them slowly, reducing the severity of river flooding through the valley. It does not prevent flash flooding, storm-sewer overwhelm, hillside runoff, or sewer backups. Think of it as catastrophic-flood protection, not everyday-flood protection.
Separated sewers prevent combined-sewer surcharge, but storm-sewer overwhelm is a different mechanism: when rainfall exceeds what the storm drains can carry, water ponds and enters basements directly as stormwater. Aging foundation drainage and 1960s-era sump systems in New Philadelphia's housing stock make it worse. Call (614) 956-3233 for emergency extraction and drying.
Mold can begin within 24–48 hours of water exposure. After a river or stormwater flood, professional extraction, verified drying, and sanitization on day one is the single most important thing you can do.
No — but don't wait longer. Trapped moisture inside wall cavities and subfloors keeps feeding mold for months or years. Call (614) 956-3233 for a free moisture inspection; we measure what's wet behind the surfaces and give you an honest assessment.
Yes — New Philadelphia, Dover, Uhrichsville, Dennison, Strasburg, and surrounding Tuscarawas County communities. Call (614) 956-3233 24/7.
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