Dover's floods shaped its history — 1913, Dover Dam, the 2005 evacuation. Integrity Water Damage Restoration Ohio offers 24/7 emergency water damage restoration in Dover. Call (614) 956-3233.
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.
01March 1913: The Flood That Ended the Canal Era
Dover literally renamed itself because of a flood. Until 1916, this Tuscarawas County river city was called "Canal Dover" — and the March 1913 flood is what helped end the canal era for good. The Tuscarawas River rose with catastrophic force: it flowed over a railroad bridge downstream of Tuscarawas Avenue and destroyed the earthen wall separating the river from the Ohio & Erie Canal, erasing the line between river and canal in a single surge.
The damage to Dover's industrial core was devastating. The Reeves Rolling Mill, the Dover Manufacturing Co., and the Reeves mansion were all struck, and the company-housing neighborhood called "Tin Town" — built on the flat low flood plain — was devastated. Across Tuscarawas County, two people died and roughly $200,000 was spent replacing bridges (an enormous sum in 1913 dollars). The flood was so defining that three years later, the city dropped "Canal" from its name entirely.
A century later, the Tuscarawas still runs through Dover — and the homes built in its floodplain, many of them mill-era construction near the river, still carry that 1913 exposure. Integrity Water Damage Restoration Ohio provides 24/7 emergency water damage restoration across Dover and Tuscarawas County. Call (614) 956-3233.
02Dover Dam: The Flood-Control System Standing Above Your Home
The 1913 catastrophe is the reason Dover Dam exists. Built in the 1930s by the Public Works Administration, Dover Dam is one of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District's 16 flood-control dams — a federal structure operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Huntington District, sitting just upstream of the city with the Dover Reservoir behind it.
But Dover Dam has its own complicated history, and Dover homeowners should know it:
- Dam-safety concerns date to 1977, and the dam was ranked among the nation's most at-risk dams by the Corps (national list ~2005).
- A preliminary upgrade estimate ran to about $71 million, per Corps engineers quoted in the Youngstown Vindicator in 2006.
- Tuscarawas County EMA maintains a countywide dam-response plan — official recognition that dam operations and dam emergencies are part of the local flood picture.
The dam manages river flooding. It does not manage flash floods on tributary creeks, storm-sewer overload, sewer backups, or burst pipes — the everyday water damage that actually fills most Dover basements. Those are our specialty. Call (614) 956-3233 24/7.
03January 2005: When the Dam Proved Its Worth
In January 2005, record-breaking flood levels on the Tuscarawas tested the entire system — and forced the evacuation of some homes near the dam. Corps officials said the dam "performed the way it was designed to," holding back water that would otherwise have surged through Dover the way it did in 1913.
The lesson of 2005 cuts both ways. The dam works — until the event exceeds its design, or until the water comes from a direction the dam can't control. Residents near the reservoir and downstream of the structure live with a flood risk that is managed but not eliminated, which is exactly why the county keeps a dam-response plan on file. If you live in the dam's shadow, know your evacuation route, know whether your insurance includes flood coverage, and know our number: (614) 956-3233.
04Basement Flooding in Dover's River-City Homes
Dover's housing tells the flood story in bricks and mortar. Older downtown and mill-era homes cluster near the river — the same low ground that Tin Town occupied — while postwar neighborhoods sit on higher ground. The patterns we see:
- River-adjacent basements: hydrostatic seepage through older block and stone foundations during sustained wet periods and high river stages.
- Sewer backup during heavy rain: aging laterals and legacy infrastructure surcharge; sewage through a floor drain is Category 3 black water — stay out, don't run fans, call (614) 956-3233.
- Flash flooding: tributary creeks and urban runoff rise far faster than the Tuscarawas; the dam offers no protection against them.
- Winter burst pipes: deep freezes threaten older plumbing in mill-era homes — a burst pipe at line pressure can put inches of water through a house in hours.
Emergency extraction, verified structural drying with moisture meters and thermal imaging, antimicrobial treatment, and documented rebuild — that's the full service, and it's available around the clock at (614) 956-3233.
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
Dover Water Damage? A Century of Floods Says Don't Wait — Call Now. From 1913 to the 2005 evacuations, Dover's water history is written in its river and its dam. Integrity Water Damage Restoration Ohio provides 24/7 emergency water extraction, sewage cleanup, and structural drying across Dover and Tuscarawas County. Call (614) 956-3233 for immediate response.
Free Moisture Inspection — Dover & Tuscarawas County Musty basement? Stains on the foundation wall? Warping floors near the river? We'll inspect, measure moisture behind walls and under floors, and give you an honest assessment — free. Serving Dover, New Philadelphia, 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
The dam is a federally operated flood-control structure that performed as designed in January 2005 — but it was also ranked among the nation's most at-risk dams, and Tuscarawas County EMA keeps a dam-response plan for a reason. Know your evacuation route and carry flood insurance if you're in the mapped floodplain. For everyday water damage — basements, backups, burst pipes — call (614) 956-3233 24/7.
For insurance, maybe — check your policy deadlines. For your home, no. Trapped moisture in walls and subfloors keeps feeding mold and rot long after the street dries. Call (614) 956-3233 for a free moisture inspection and an honest assessment of what's still wet.
No — standard homeowners policies exclude flooding (rising water from outside). You need a separate NFIP flood policy. Sewer backup also needs its own endorsement. After any event, photograph everything before cleanup; our documentation is formatted for adjusters. Call (614) 956-3233.
The dam regulates the Tuscarawas River upstream of Dover, reducing the kind of catastrophic river flood that destroyed Tin Town in 1913. It does nothing for flash floods, storm-sewer overload, or sewer backups inside city neighborhoods — which is why most Dover water damage has nothing to do with the river gauge. Call (614) 956-3233 for any of it.
Yes — Dover, New Philadelphia, and all of Tuscarawas County, 24/7. Call (614) 956-3233.
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