Staff photo / R. Michael Semple High water on Tuesday sits at the intersection of Turner and Bishop roads in Leavittsburg. Area residents said they have learned to adapt to the flood waters by taking different streets to get to and from their homes. The water had receded by late Tuesday, but many yards remained waterlogged.

WARREN TOWNSHIP — Residents of Meadowbrook and Bishop drives and other nearby streets say they have learned how to adapt to flooded roadways and yards after heavy rainfall.

On Tuesday many of the roads in the Leavittsburg neighborhood were covered with water following Monday’s heavy rains and the high level of the Mahoning River.

Those living along North Meadowbrook Drive and neighboring roads were dealing with standing water, some of which came close to their homes. The high waters began receding by Tuesday evening.

Trumbull County MetroParks Director Zachary Svette said both nearby parks, Canoe City and Swift, are closed until further notice because of flooding.

Mike Salzer of Meadowbrook Drive said he knows all too well of the flooding problems as his car was towed out of high water at the nearby intersection of Bishop and Turner roads a few weeks ago.

“I got stuck at the intersection a couple of weeks ago, and my car died. I had to put a new starter and battery in, and my car still is not starting. I had to keep charging the battery,” Salzer said.

He said he was working making a delivery at night, and he could not tell how much water was there.

“It is hard to tell how deep the water is so I try to be careful. Sometimes the roads look like rivers,” Salzer said.

He said he has lived there for four years, and it has flooded almost every year including his garage.

“I don’t like this. There are some people whose yards are always flooded. Meadowbrook and Bishop always have bad areas where you can’t get through,” Salzer said.

He said his mailbox and driveway are off Bishop Road, which always floods. He said it was a challenge getting his daughter to school with both roads blocked.

Salzer said when his car stalled in the water, he got out and tried to push it, but couldn’t get it to move.

Sabrina Dellapenna of Meadowbrook Drive said she feels lucky her yard and driveway were not as flooded as some of the others on the street.

“It seems like the flooding stayed up that way,” she said. “This really bad flooding has happened twice this year when there is heavy rain. We know which side roads to take. If I go down the road and make a left, that intersection is always filled with a lot of water.”

Earl Wilson, who lives near the intersection of Turner and Bechtel roads, said it is not uncommon for his yard to be flooded but noted the nearby intersection usually is passable.

“You know which roads you can travel on and which ones to avoid when there is a lot of rain. I know not far from here the roads are always covered by water. Some of the neighbors can’t even get out of their driveways sometimes,” Wilson said.

HARD GETTING THROUGH

Anne Abdeljalil, whose family owns the M&A Food Market, said she lives in the Meadowbrook area, so she knows what many customers face with all the flooding.

“You have a really hard time getting through the roads with all the water. I have seen the school buses, garbage trucks and mailman having a hard time getting around. I know the children get picked up for school at a different place. My daughter and other parents drive their children to school,” she said.

Warren Township Trustee Ed Anthony said the melted snow and heavy rain sent the Mahoning River to an extremely high level.

“The water has no where to go,” he said.

Anthony said he has driven to different parts of the township this week to see the flooding and indicated Meadowbrook, Bishop, Turner, Dover, and Hewitt Gifford roads are among the common flooded areas. He said many longtime residents have become used to the flooding.

“Many of the people have adapted … they have gone through it so many times,” he said.

Anthony said heavy flooding hit the Meadowbrook area in 2003 and 2008.

He said while officials feel for what residents face with flooding, the township isn’t able to do much when the river overflows.

Officials said nearby rain gauges listed between 1.5 and 1.7 inches of precipitation fell Monday.