YELLOW SPRINGS — Glen Helen Nature Preserve is now dealing with the damage that came as a result of three inches of rapid rainfall on Sunday.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, part of the nature preserve’s boardwalk was destroyed and some animals lost their homes in the rain.
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“This wasn’t the first flood and it will not be the last. But this one hit us hard because of how much rain fell in a short about of time,” Executive Director of Glen Helen Nature Preserve Nick Boutis said.
Boutis said the flood water spread up to 400 feet wide.
“Where we’re standing now, we would be underwater,” Boutis said.
RELATED: Local nature preserve announces emergency partial closure due to storm damage
Boutis said he’s unsure how much the storm damage will cost the preserve, but he knows the leaning trees and warped boardwalk are dangerous.
“We’ll do what we need to do and make sure the trail isn’t open to the public until we’re confident it’s safe for people to walk on,” Boutis said.
While the preserve handles that, they will continue hosting education programs to get their community engaged with nature.
Yellow Springs resident Spencer Cupp said his daughter looks forward to walking along the boardwalk at Glen Helen every summer.
“In the past, they’ve gone down to the beaver dam, and they’ve seen the beaver before. She was so excited about that. That’s what I love about this place,” Cupp said.
But Cupp’s daughter will have to explore different aspects of the 15 miles of trail in the nature preserve this summer.
Crews will look at whether the boardwalk can be repaired or start planning to build a new one.
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