Ottawa higher, drier, wiser a year after flood

OTTAWA - In many ways, Ottawa looks just as it did for most of the last 50 years, as if a major flood last August never happened.

Longtime downtown retailers continue to do business in their brick buildings. People still wait patiently at the local ice cream shop for a summer treat. Neighbors still stand by the sidewalk and talk.

But there are daily reminders of what the Blanchard River did to the community on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007. The generally kind river crested at 31.7 feet, well above the flood stage of 23 feet, changing some lives forever. Water filled streets, homes and businesses as the Blanchard hit its highest level since 1913.

An empty trailer park, its wood exposed and rotting, awaits help on the west side of the village. Vacant lots remain where homes stood for decades. Crews prop those houses deemed salvageable nearly two feet into the air on concrete blocks to avoid future damage.

"I'm extremely encouraged by the investments many of our residents and commercial citizens have made following the flood," says Jeff Loehrke, Ottawa's community development director. "However, I am also very much aware that there are many who are still struggling to get their lives back on track."

One year later, the face of Ottawa has changed in ways that often are not visible, showing the reality of what a flood can do to a proud place.

Emotional damage

Looking out the window in her downtown office at empty buildings, Ottawa-Area Chamber of Commerce Director Mary Jo Bockrath says she is usually an optimist.

"I believe if they provide long-term flood mitigation for the village, we will see the downtown grow again," she says. "Otherwise, I think people are hesitant about starting a new business downtown."

Business owner Cathy Fortman agrees.

"People are more skeptical and cautious now," says Fortman, whose insurance agency along state Route 65 sustained heavy damage, as did the basement of her family's home.

Now a once-harmless thunderstorm puts people on alert.

"People are more on edge every time it rains," said the Rev. Steve Elderbrock, a member of Ottawa's Long Term Recovery Committee. "I think it has made us aware that these things can happen to us, and that we should be prepared."

Bockrath doubts the community could take another flood.

"I think a lot of businesses would move out," she said.

She said many business owners had to use savings or retirement money to repair the buildings following the flood.

"Now they just hope we can have enough business to recoup their loss," she said. "It's important now more than ever that people utilize the downtown businesses."

Building damage

"It's hard to see empty lots where there were once houses," said Ottawa council member Deb Bauer. "I think of the positive that someday we will correct the flooding problems and will see new homes on some of the properties."

Shortly after the flood hit, Putnam County officials estimated 997 homes, 115 businesses, 24 government buildings, five school facilities and four utility buildings had been damaged. The village itself sustained $6 million in damage to its buildings. No one died in Putnam County due to the flooding, though.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced last October that it gave more than $30 million in disaster assistance in Putnam and Hancock counties.

Denise Balbaugh, Ottawa's building and zoning coordinator, said there was a dramatic increase in homeowners applying for building permits following the flood.

"In 2006, we had five homeowners apply for building permits for renovations or construction in Ottawa's flood zone area," she said. "In 2007, this number was 300."

The Putnam County Auditor's Office had 245 residential parcels that filed for a reduction in taxes because they had been destroyed or damaged in the flood. Since the flood occurred in the second half of 2007, property owners were allowed to claim the reduction for the second half of the year. The drop on tax duplicates for the second half of 2007 was $2.8 million.

Fortman said she also had many clients who sustained damages and had to file claims.

"It was overwhelming," Fortman admitted. "I'm afraid we would lose businesses and residents if it happens again."

Putnam County also had an additional 39 residential and agriculture parcels and 59 industrial parcels that filed for a tax reduction because of flood damage.

Repairing damage

Several damaged homes are again occupied after having been elevated above flood stage through the assistance of numerous volunteers and contractors.

Several rows of blocks and concrete stair entrances can be seen where houses once sat close the ground. That procedure costs between $8,500 and $30,000, depending on the size of the structure of the house.

The quick action of volunteers helped the community's comeback. As soon as water levels started to recede, friends and strangers alike pulled together to help one another.

Sandi Racer, secretary at Trinity United Methodist Church, underwent a transformation as she saw the several hundred volunteers and displaced residents who came to the church, which served as a Red Cross Shelter center.

"I felt inadequate when trying to meet the needs that were out there," Racer said.

Racer said her feelings of compassion have increased immensely for people worldwide who experience major disaster.

"It's changed me," Racer said. "Now I have a deeper understanding of what long-term recovery is needed for areas that have major disasters."

The village is already seeing improvements after the flood, council member Gene Hovest said.

He gave the SS. Peter and Paul School as an example. Although the area was heavily damaged, the work is nearing completion to be ready for the first day of school Monday.

"The teachers are very excited about the state-of-the-art technology that is now in the school," Hovest said. "I think the school went beyond what they would have if the flood would not have occurred."

Volunteers played a big part in that. Immediately after the flood, hundreds of people came to the church and its schools to help with cleanup of their properties near Locust Street. Then, last weekend, another 100 people came to help clean the Locust Street school and bring desks and chairs back into it. Organizers only expected 30 volunteers to come.

The board for the Putnam County District Library decided earlier this week to build a new library near the Putnam County YMCA, replacing one destroyed in the flood.

"In the long term, we will see many exciting things happen in the community," Hovest said.

Eliminating eyesores

Loehrke, the community development director, acknowledged the trailer park on the west side of town, abandoned since the floodwaters tore through those trailers, hasn't changed much since last August.

That should change soon, he said. The village received federal approval for its Hazard Mitigation Grant program. This will allow the village to purchase heavily damaged homes in the flood zone and turn them into green space.

The village will purchase the trailer park on the west side of town, plus 16 homes that were in the second round of funding. Loehrke said the village received notification of approval for the second grand funding of the homes last Monday.

"If we had done anything to the trailers before receiving approval, we would have ruined any chance of getting the federal money," Loehrke said. "It took nearly a year to receive the approval, and the government said this was an expedited project."

Loehrke indicated village officials are getting appraisals for the property and negotiating with property owners. The pre-flood valuation of the home will be taken, minus any money the property owner received from insurance or FEMA.

"This gap is what the homeowner will receive," Loehrke said. These properties will then be restricted as green space usage.

Being prepared

On the east side of Ottawa near the fire station, workers are busy adding an addition to the existing American Electric Power station. Once completed, it will allow rerouting from the westside substation in case flooding in this location would cause another outage.

"This will be a fantastic improvement," said Jason Phillips, Ottawa's water and sewer director. "When the power went out last year during the flood, we were taking the AEP workers to different poles for rerouting. Sometimes, we had to go through dangerously high water."

Phillips said that, with the new system, the rerouting from the west side to east side substation only will involve switchovers on a computer and will enable the AEP to make the change quickly. That's in comparison to some people being without power for days during the flood.

"This is huge," Loehrke said. "This will allow us to maintain communications with the public, especially through the Internet."

Loehrke said AEP expected to have the project completed this summer.

A small pole with meters near the bridge over the Blanchard River on Oak Street also shows another major change, offering better information on the river's flow.

The upgraded river gage allows real-time readings of the river that are communicated via satellite to the National Weather Service and the Internet for quick access by residents.

"The village paid for the upgrade," Phillips said. "This is so important so people can make decisions about what they want to do in their homes and businesses."

The town also does not want a repeat of damage that occurred during the February 2008 flood, when a truck drove through the high water on West Main Street and caused a wake that damaged several homes.

"The village has enacted stricter laws to arrest and prosecute those who go around barricades," Loehrke said.

Ottawa also has increased its stock of barricades to close roads with the help of a local Boy Scout.

"Last year, it was making decisions on where to put the barricades we had," Loehrke said.

Controlling the water

Preventing another flood is important to Ottawa and Findlay alike. Tony Iriti, president of the Northwest Ohio Flood Mitigation Committee understands this. He also knows it is important to have flood mitigation for the rural areas in Putnam and Hancock counties.

"Farmers don't like flooding either," he said.

The partnership was established to expedite the design and development of long-range flood mitigation plan that will help alleviate flooding throughout the Blanchard River Watershed.

Since 2005, the Blanchard River has flooded Ottawa 11 times. Four of those floods ranked in the top seven floods since 1913.

The Army Corp of Engineers is doing a study on what will be needed to mitigate future flooding. The study could cost $800,000 over the next two to three years.

During a community meeting last week in Findlay, Leigh Esper, with the partnership, said this may include flood walls and green spaces in the two communities. She urged local officials to begin considering how they want their towns to look after the project is complete.

"Do you want the flood walls to separate you from the river or to be designed in tiers and allow areas for recreation?" she said. Slides were shown of towns that had turned green spaces and tiers into parks and boat livery areas.

Moving forward

"I'm more appreciative of anything now," Fortman said. "I don't take anything for granted."

Josh Walters, assistant director of Putnam County's EMA, said last year's flood made him appreciate the continued need for safety service offices and agencies to continue to cooperate.

Bauer is grateful no one was killed or injured in the county during the flood.

"We need to be very thankful for that," she said.

Loehrke said he focuses on the positive.

"First, I stress that our industrial park is called Highland Industrial Park and has never flooded," he said. "I also point out what residents have done who were affected by the flood. Developers are very impressed with this community and how they have survived and carried on."

Loehrke said the Ottawa industries continue to do well, and developers are still looking at Ottawa.

"I truly believe those who put their faith and trust in Ottawa will be rewarded with a better tomorrow," Loehrke said.

Rev. Elderbrock agrees.

"There's still work to be done. But we need to also look at the progress we've made since the flood. We need to realize the positive things that have come out of this experience," he said.