Findlay City Council shows support for flood mitigation efforts

Findlay City Council voted unanimously in regular session Tuesday to adopt a resolution of support for area flood mitigation efforts, including the proposed Eagle Creek flood basin. There was no discussion. The resolution states it is the community's goal to lower flood water by 3 feet in downtown Findlay during a 100-year flood. According to the resolution, river benching completed in 2020 will lower a 100-year flood by about 0.7 feet. Replacing the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge, which straddles the Blanchard River near Findlay's downtown, would drop the flood level by another half-foot, as would additional river benching. The basin, according to the resolution, would reduce flooding by an additional 1.5 feet. In the resolution, the council asks the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District, Defiance, and the conservancy district court to amend the watershed's plan to include the efforts. The conservancy district board will most likely present the council's resolution to the district court in May, when it is expected to make the argument to amend its plan, which would allow for the construction of the basin. The conservancy district is still planning for the basin, despite concerns expressed by the panel of 15 judges that oversees it. In September, the court panel questioned the conservancy district's authority in spending $11.35 million in early 2020 for the purchase of 416 acres of property at the proposed basin site in Hancock County's Eagle Township. That's about half the land needed for the proposed basin. In November, Jim Weaner, legal counsel for the conservancy district, cautioned the district board against spending anything more than necessary to give the judges a "full picture" of the project. Money to pay for the property was taken from a $15 million grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Another $230,000 has already been paid to Stantec engineering for preliminary engineering of the basin, leaving a balance of $3.42 million that could be used for additional engineering or property acquisition, according to a report given to the judges in September. Another $15 million was awarded to the project by the State of Ohio in December. The conservancy district serves Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Shelby, Van Wert, Williams, and Wood counties. Common Pleas Judge Reginald Routson represents Hancock County on the conservancy court. During the September court meeting, Routson pressed the conservancy district's leadership for answers on the court's authority. He said there are concerns about the project and the "massive expenditure" of tax dollars. Estimates on the projected cost of the basin swing widely, between $71 million and $402 million. State funding, over the course of several years, is being sought to pay for the construction. Once constructed, it will cost about $100,000 annually to operate and maintain the basin. Upkeep would include mowing, debris removal, maintenance of the basin's outlet and emergency spillway, and maintenance of public access locations. There is no recommendation on how operating and maintenance expenses should be addressed in the future, but property tax assessments have been discussed. Any taxes levied to support the basin project would need the approval of the court. Grant: 419-427-8412