Flood projects could break ground soon

FINDLAY — After more than 20 years and millions in public dollars, the end is in sight for flood mitigation efforts in Findlay and Hancock County. In a joint statement Thursday, the city of Findlay, Hancock County and the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District, Defiance, announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has obligated the $24-million grant needed for the Eagle Creek Dry Storage Basin and the next phase of river benching. The grant will provide $19 million for the basin and $5 million for the river benching. Both projects are now clear to go out to bid. The FEMA announcement is the second major step forward this month. Earlier this month, the conservancy district signed a work agreement with Norfolk Southern to replace the railroad bridge over the Blanchard River, allowing that project to go out to bid in May and begin construction as early as mid-summer. The push for large-scale mitigation began after the historic flood of August 2007 inundated downtown, closed Main Street and made long-term flood control work an urgent priority for the city and county. "These projects have been years, really decades, in the making," Mayor Christina Muryn said. "Our community has experienced repeated flooding since the 1990s, and we've stayed relentlessly focused on long-term solutions. Receiving the signed FEMA grant is a pivotal step that moves us from planning and review to real, on-the-ground progress." "This milestone reflects years of collaboration and persistence," Hancock County Commissioner Bill Bateson said. "Flooding doesn't respect jurisdictional boundaries, and these projects show what's possible when we work together on long-term solutions that protect residents, strengthen our economy, and reduce risk across the entire watershed." The Eagle Creek basin is expected to cost about $75 million to construct. The state of Ohio has already awarded $60 million to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the project. The basin is designed as a 765-acre dry basin that would begin storing water during major storms. Over its 100-year lifespan, the basin will cost the city about $5 million to maintain. The basin is expected to lower flood levels by about 2.2 feet in downtown Findlay during a 100-year storm like the flood of August 2007. The second phase of river benching downtown is expected to cost about $6 million. The project would widen the north bank of the river between North Cory Street and the CSX Railroad, remove the pedestrian bridge and add two in-river riffles. The benches are designed to increase the river's capacity during major storms. Modeling cited in the mayor's statement shows the project could lower water levels by up to 3.6 inches at Main Street during a 100-year storm. Earlier benching work downstream to near Broad Avenue was completed in 2024. The first project, which cost about $6.1 million, cut benches into the north riverbank for about 3,500 feet between the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge and Broad Avenue. The work was expected to lower downtown flood levels by 12 inches. The Norfolk Southern Bridge, which is over 100 years old, straddles the Blanchard River just west of Cory Street and Findlay's downtown. Supports for the bridge are a "pinch point" in the river and act as a dam during floods. The 150-foot span of the bridge will be replaced by a new bridge with a span of 300 feet, removing the obstruction from the river. Construction on the bridge is expected to take 12 to 18 months once underway. The bridge replacement is expected to lower downtown flood levels by 6 inches during a 100-year storm. A $7.1 million Federal Railroad Administration grant awarded in 2021 was expected to cover most of the bridge cost when the project was estimated at $8.8 million. The cost increased to $16.7 million by 2024. The remaining cost will be shared by the city and county. In 2009, Hancock County voters approved a 10-year, 0.25% additional sales tax to pay for flood mitigation. Plans to bench the second leg of the Blanchard River will exhaust those funds. In all, the additional sales tax generated about $32 million over 10 years. In 2023, Findlay Council also agreed to earmark $2.5 million in capital funding to be utilized for flood mitigation. Local, state and federal dollars have also been used to clear the floodplain of structures and to make roadway improvements meant to ensure clear routes for emergency vehicles during a flood. A Letter of Map Revision submitted in September 2025 identified 1,080 parcels proposed for removal from FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Area, and about 1,500 parcels with reduced flood elevations, after the early work was completed. When all major projects are finished, the full program is expected to reduce a 100-year flood by up to three feet in downtown Findlay and remove more than 2,000 parcels from the floodplain.