The mix of rain, melting snow and ice jams has lead to one of the more significant flooding events in recent Valley history.

Youngstown's greatest flood took place in March 1913 when the river topped out at 26.5 feet. 

The second greatest flood took place in January 1959 when the river crest at 18.6 feet.

Then in 2003, the river topped out at 17.49 feet. 

As of Friday morning, the Storm Tracker 21 Team said the Mahoning River at Youngstown had crested at 16.6 feet. This would make it the city's 4th highest level recorded. 

Taking a look back in history, the flood of 1959 caused extensive damage, claimed some lives, required around-the-clock crews to help families devastated by the damage, and brought Red Cross workers from all over the U.S. to assist victims in Warren, Sharon and New Castle.

The image below shows the intersection at Mahoning Ave. and Hogue St. This was one of two key downtown intersections tied by floodwaters. Traffic was backed up west as far as the eye could see.

Some people had to be rescued from the rising waters. Including family pets.

The damage in Youngstown was estimated at $20 million, or $193 million in today's money. The total loss in the state was estimated at $100 million, or nearly $1 billion in today's money. Although, it is difficult to compare potential flooding impacts of 1959 to those of today due upgrades to streets, facilities and other infrastructure improvements over the last 63 years.

At the time of the 1959 flood, it was reported that the Berlin and Mosquito Reservoirs saved the Valley millions in flood damage, but the damage could have been further lessened if the Valley would have had Sharpsville and West Branch dams. Since then, the Army Corp of Engineers says those dams have been built and put into operation.

The ‘West Branch Dam’ was constructed in 1966 and named Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir. ‘Sharpsville Dam’ was completed in 1965 and named Shenango River Lake. The Shenango River joins the Mahoning River downstream of Youngstown, so it does not have any impact on flooding or flood risk in Youngstown. However, the West Branch Dam has prevented an estimated $755 million in flood damages, according to the Pittsburgh District’s Water Management Unit.

The West Branch Dam, in addition to other dams, have significantly reduced the potential level of the Mahoning River in Youngstown.

“Through the combination of flood risk-reduction measures from Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir, Berlin Lake, and Mosquito Creek Lake, these three reservoirs reduced the crest of the Mahoning River at Youngstown by 15 feet. In other words, if it wasn’t for these three reservoirs, the Mahoning River in Youngstown would have been 15 feet higher, cresting at 31.6 ft and creating a new historic river crest," said Megan Gottlieb, of the Pittsburgh District's Water Management Unit. 

In addition, weather alerts and warnings have improved over the decades.

"Just like with winter storms, tornadoes and all other types of hazardous weather, advances in weather forecasting, and the availability of those forecasts, makes it so that people have a much better 'heads up' and can take action much sooner than in 1959," said 21 News Chief Meteorologist Eric Wilhelm. "We have been talking about the flood risk for days; I would bet that in 1959 people were fairly unaware of the danger until flooding was already occurring. "