MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Just over a week after a major flood forced Shorty Anderson Auto Services to close, another flood hit the area. Luckily, this time it wasn’t as bad.

Co-owner Travis Rowan said the flooding wasn’t as bad because the construction site behind his auto shop eventually installed a silt fence and retention pond to hold back the floodwaters. However, as the sewers on Stewart Street, where Shorty’s is located, are still clogged since the first flood, clear water has seeped into the business.

Last night we had pretty heavy rain and we saw it coming, so we came to check. And by the time we got here, Stewart Street was completely flooded again, so we walked into the store. We saw that we had a tiny bit of clear water coming in through the back door and a little through the front. We noticed that it looks like their water retention basin is working now that it’s hooked up, so I wish they had hooked it up before the rain on Sunday (June 13). We probably could have avoided all that mess, but I think it goes to show that it really needed to be plugged in first.

Travis Rowan – Co-Owner Shorty Anderson’s Auto Services

Rowan said there was no mud like last time so the cleaning process was relatively easy.

With the construction site and heavy rains, he said, that’s probably too much water for the drains. He said he expects Stewart Street to be flooded whenever heavy rain comes, but he will be happy as long as it stays out of his store.

“I think if we can get these drains cleaned here, you know, our problem will be solved for now at least,” Rowan said. “I mean, once there are roofs and bitumen or concrete, you know, we’re going to introduce even more water, so we’ll see what comes with it.”

Shorty’s co-owner said he was still waiting for the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) to come clean and unclog the ditches. Unfortunately, MUB is very set back, he said, and couldn’t stop at Stewart St.

“I really hope they get here soon,” Rowan said. “It would probably help a lot with the Stewart Street flooding, you know, if we can clear those ditches here, so hopefully they’ll be out soon.”

In the meantime, Rowan said, he is still working on filing his insurance claim. On Monday, June 21, they emptied most of the equipment.

Shorty pulled out everything that was salvageable. It now relies on another site to manage its operations.

“Today I’m recording the parts that were destroyed and the tools to get a good list for the insurance company,” Rowan said.