Crescent-News.com - Avoiding future disasters Newly formed coalition is seeking answers to resolving continual flooding problems

By LISA NICELY

nicely@crescent-news.com

OTTAWA -- The pressure is on in Ottawa.

After being hit by two floods in less than six months, many residents are turning to a newly formed coalition for answers to resolving the flooding problems.

"The flood in February did less damage physically, but did more psychologically to people," said Deb Bauer, secretary of the coalition's steering committee as well as a Ottawa Village Council member.

In August, the Blanchard River Flood Mitigation Coalition was formed to look into what could be done to alleviate flooding in Ottawa. The coalition consists of village and county officials as well as individuals who have been affected by flooding.

The mission of the coalition is "to develop and coordinate an emergency disaster and mitigation plan for floods occurring in the Ottawa, Ohio, area that is compatible with the plans of other members of the watersheds in the western Lake Erie Basin."

"We have a very broad-based group," said Bauer of the coalition. "We are trying to work hand-in-hand with the group in Findlay. People coming to our meetings learn a lot of information they didn't know before. We're getting a lot of people together to discuss ideas and plans. We've had good participation so far."

Josh Walters, assistant director of the Putnam County Office of Public Safety, is also a member of the coalition.

"There is some pressure (on the coalition)," he said, to come up with solutions to prevent flooding. "The board includes citizens, people impacted by the floods. It's good to get their perspective."

Representatives from other areas affected by the flooding, such as Findlay and Bluffton, have also attended meetings.

The next meeting of the coalition will be at 8 a.m. March 12 at the Putnam County Educational Service Center assembly hall.

Walters said the public safety office is still gathering preliminary figures for damage from Feb. 7 flooding. The Blanchard River crested at 29.34 feet, well above the 23-foot flood stage. That flooding was not as bad as the major flooding on Aug. 23, when the river crested at 31.7 feet. The county is still cleaning up from that flood, which caused an estimated $10 million in damages.

"What made this flooding (Feb. 7) more complicated is that it wasn't only Ottawa this time," said Walters. "Cloverdale, Dupont and Kalida also had flooding this time around. We didn't have near as many businesses impacted as last time, though. There also wasn't as much government property and homes affected."

Unfortunately, flooding isn't anything new for Ottawa. Since 1913, when the Blanchard River crested at a record of 33.3 feet, there have been 30 floods in town, according to the National Weather Service. Two of the floods, in 1913 and August 2007, were considered major. Five moderate floods, where the river crested at 27-30 feet, also were recorded.

The Army Corps of Engineers conducted a flood study in 1987. Three options to reduce flooding were presented, but none was financially feasible at the time.

The coalition has approached the Corps again, but the agency said a new study would be necessary since so many things have changed since 1987. The Corps also recommended separate studies for Ottawa and Findlay.

"They were promoting levies and dikes then," said Bauer. "Had we gone and implemented it then, we're wondering if we'd still have had flooding. They (the Corps) are looking into retention or detention areas now, that type of thing."

Walters said the Corps has not come up with any concrete, long-term solutions.

"We've heard everything from trying to reroute the river to creating a lake or retention area and diversion channel. To say they have figured out one way over another yet is wrong," he said.

"One of the things they have to look at now is the region is so large. We can't do anything in Findlay or Ottawa without looking to see how it would affect Defiance or Grand Rapids."

The Corps study will include a cost-benefit analysis which will compare the cost of flood damage to the cost of the flood mitigation. It is also looking to determine if the redesign of the Road I-9 bridge in Glandorf has impeded the water flow on the river.

The federal government has allocated $98,000 to start the study, which is expected to cost approximately $600,000. It's a 50-50 match for funds. The village of Ottawa has committed $250,000 to the project and is waiting for the federal government to commit to its half. Businesses, industries and others have donated money to help pay for the survey.

Such a study normally takes five to seven years. But in February, coalition members and individuals from Findlay met with the Army Corps of Engineers in Buffalo, N.Y., to see if that time could be reduced to two to four years.

"We're doing our best to get things expedited, but it takes time," said Bauer.

Besides the Corps of Engineers study, several other short- and long-term solutions are being examined.

County commissioners have applied for a grant to remove log jams and other debris from the Blanchard River watershed in Putnam County in hopes that will alleviate some flooding.

Also, the village of Ottawa has applied for two hazard mitigation grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. One grant would be used to purchase the Arrowhead trailer park off Main Street, while the other would be used to purchase substantially damaged buildings -- those with flood damage that has reduced the building's value by 50 percent or more.

"We feel this is something we need to do to better the community and lessen the effects of flooding," Bauer said.

The grants require a 25 percent local match. The state of Ohio has said it will kick in 121/2 percent of the local match, but there has been no official word on that. This would require the village to come up with the other 121/2 percent.

The village will learn in March if the grants have been received.

The combined cost of both projects is approximately $2 million. The village has applied for another FEMA grant for $750,000 for acquisition and demolition projects of homes severely, but not substantially, damaged.

"If approved, those buildings will be purchased and turned into green space forever," said Bauer.

In addition to looking for solutions, the coalition has a communications committee to inform the community of what it is doing as well as how to handle communications in a flood.

The committee has set up a website, www.ottawaohio.us, where individuals can get information about the weather, historical crests and other contact information.

"They are really looking at being proactive with information," said Walters, adding benchmarks will be looked at to help give advanced warning of areas to expect flooding.

"That will give citizens the opportunity to self-determine when to move things upstarts or do a complete evacuation."

There are also committees looking into preparedness and recovery.

"One of the best things short-term is the advanced warning," said Walters.

The coalition is looking into updating the river gauges. The National Weather Service has voiced disappointment with the village's current automated gauge. A new gauge that works via satellite would cost approximately $6,000.