Flooding causes problem for Leetonia family - WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio

Flooding throughout the Valley on Monday is becoming a threat for one family in Columbiana County.

The Everly's home is next to a horseshoe-lake which becomes flooded by water on all sides. And for Lori and Henry Everly, a bit of steady rain turned their lakeside home into an island. 

"The culprit is a three-foot culvert that they put under Route 11 in the 60s. It simply can't handle all of the water that comes into this area," said Larry Everly.

At times of steady rain, the creeks and six-acre lake on their property are transformed into what they estimate is currently 20 acres of water up to 50 feet deep in spots.

"We actually found a fish on Route 11, a four-lane highway. and a shell," said Larry. "That gives an idea. The only way that this little fish got up there was the lake overflowed on Route 11."

Underneath all of the water is the Everly's driveway and it's only accessible by kayak.

Not only is this an inconvenience to them, but they are afraid it might turn dangerous.

"That's what really scares me because if I had to call an ambulance or anything, we would have to have Life Flight come in," said Lori Everly. "We could not call a firetruck, our place would burn down." 

The Everly's have been dealing with the flooding for 32 years.

The Ohio Department of Transportation told 21 News they've been aware of the Everly's problem for years and said they would be sending experts out by Wednesday to re-evaluate the culvert.