Officials undersold impact of river benching

FINDLAY — Turns out local officials sold the impact of the Phase 1 river benching short last week when they released the number of parcels it has removed from federal flood zones. In a joint statement Thursday, Findlay officials, along with the Hancock County Board of Commissioners and Stantec, the project engineering firm, announced that a proposed map revision has been submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, based on the first leg of river benching. The announcement put the number of parcels lifted from the Special Flood Hazard Area in the hundreds. It's actually over 1,000: 1,080 to be exact. Another 985 parcels, covering roughly 67 acres, will remain in the flood zone but with a lowered 100-year water surface elevation. The discrepancy was discovered on Thursday, a misinterpretation of engineering data. Local officials were going to wait until all flood mitigation projects now planned for Findlay-Hancock County are complete, but Mayor Christina Muryn said FEMA has requested that the revisions be requested after each project is done. Additional mitigation work includes more river benching in downtown Findlay, replacement of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge, and construction of the Eagle Creek basin. That work is expected to begin in late 2025 or early 2026. About half of the 5,000 parcels now located in the SFHA for the Blanchard River in Findlay-Hancock County are expected to be removed from the flood zones once all the projects are complete. So far, improvements have included floodplain benching of the Blanchard River near Swale Park, removal of low-head dams downstream of Lye Creek, instream riffle construction, property acquisition and removal of flood-prone structures. Completed in 2018, the $6.1 million river benching project widened the river by cutting "benches" into the north bank for about 3,500 feet between the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge and Broad Avenue. The benches are meant to increase the river's capacity during floods. Once FEMA issues its final determination letter on the current request — a process expected to take about six months — the changes will become official. Flood insurance rate maps will be updated, and affected property owners will be notified. Properties removed from the SFHA may no longer be required to carry flood insurance, depending on lender and insurance company policies. Those remaining in the SFHA with reduced elevations may see lower premiums and fewer regulatory restrictions. For more information and to view maps of affected parcels, visit findlayohio.gov or hancockcountyflooding.com.