MANSFIELD, Ohio–City Engineer Robert Bianchi shared with Mansfield City Council the findings of a study to resolve the 100-year flooding issues in Mansfield.
“Floods are happening more often,” explained Bianchi. “From our files, just over the past fifteen years, we had a flood in 2003, again in 2004, another flood in 2006, a large flood in 2007, one in 2008, again in 2011 with a very large flood and then in 2013 we had one and then 10 days later we had another.”
Having two floods within ten days prompted the study to find a solution to the flooding problem. Bianchi offered visuals of the flood plains to council. The city has two flood plains, but the study focused on the Touby Run flood plain, which affects the downtown area.
“Our goal is to bring down the flood into the channel and not into the downtown,” explained Bianchi.
There are approximately 5700 acres that are affected by this flood plain, which goes from Richland Mall in Ontario to the downtown area.
“It’s producing 2,636 cfs (cubic feet per second) which is trying to go through Touby’s Run during these flooding events,” Bianchi pointed out. “That’s 20,000 gallons per second. Touby’s Run can’t handle it.”
Bianchi’s $25M proposal is to construct regional detention basins. These are areas of land that are able to hold water and then releases it slowly after the heavy rains have passed. There are four large detention basins being proposed: Bowman Street Basin, North Park Basin, Triangle Basin, and South Park Basin.
The Bowman Street Basin, which is the largest proposed basin, is where the old Gorman-Rupp location now rests. “It’s the size of 23 football fields. We’re talking big basins to solve these big problems.”
The Triangle Basin would be next to the Mid-Ohio Conference Center, along the north side of the bike trail. This one would encompass 10 acres.
North Lake Park is the other proposed site, although the engineer said they aren’t sure yet if this is the best idea since it would create a lot of clean-up following the floods. “We’d like to look at another alternative.”
The South Park Basin would be the smallest with little preparation since most of the requirements are already met in this area.
This report was phase one. The second phase involves a more detailed engineering study as well as proposals on how to fund such a huge project.
“We’re talking about the future of the city of Mansfield,” said Law Director John Spon. “You’re looking at an area that’s deteriorating because of flooding.”
Council discussed how some businesses have relocated or moved completely from the area because of flooding. “The city needs to consider what will be left for future generations,” said Spon.
In 2013, Mayor Tim Theaker formed a task force to research the problem and possible solutions. Their first report was given in June 2014. At that time a funding source was uncertain and it was noted that it wasn’t likely that FEMA funds or other federal funding will be available for the project.
“We’re talking about the future of the city of Mansfield,” said Law Director John Spon. “You’re looking at an area that’s deteriorating because of flooding.”
