Flood history sends Shelby on quest for solutions

SHELBY – Fred Lewis decided he’d rather move his home to a new lot than experience another flood on Blackfork Street.

Lewis, a Shelby resident, was quoted in a March 25, 1913, publication of The Daily Globe.

He said it would be “the last flood” he’d experience at his residence on Blackfork Street because, “the floods are too frequent.”

Other archived newspaper clips describe the details of devastation and destruction from the Great Flood of 1913, which claimed an estimated 450 lives in Ohio.

Rain totals reached “a depth of 10 inches more than was ever known before,” as described in the 1913 Daily Globe.

Infrastructure throughout the city was washed away and businesses were left inoperable. Residents like Lewis, were left pondering a question which has reached into a new century.

How can we stop this from happening again?

Midwest precipitation projected to increase

Significant flooding dates back more than 100 years throughout the history of the Black Fork, a branch of the Mohican River, which flows through the heart of Shelby.

According to a 2016 assessment from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, average annual precipitation in most of the Midwest has increased by 5 to 10 percent over the last half century.

Furthermore, spring rainfall and average precipitation are likely to increase, while severe rainstorms will likely intensify during the next century, as reported by the U.S. EPA.

Flood of 2007 brings back painful memories

Though none have matched the magnitude of 1913, Shelby has experienced frequent flooding throughout the past two decades.

Flooding along the Black Fork transpired in 2011 and 2013, but most residents can attest the most recent significant flood waters rushed the city in 2007.

Torrential rains poured over a two-day period, producing the worst flooding Shelby had experienced in a century.

As a result, Shelby Project Coordinator Joe Gies said the city used grant money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase 50 houses affected by flooding and demolished them.

Gies recognized for response efforts

Gies, who’s also a certified floodplain manager, was named the Ohio Floodplain Management Association’s Floodplain Administrator of the Year in 2012.

Floodplain managers are “responsible for administering and implementing federal and state laws as well as local ordinances relating to the management of flood-prone areas,” according to the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

Much like those cleaning up after flooding in 1913, Gies said he remembers residents eager for answers and action to prevent that level of devastation from being experienced again.

“After the 2007 flood, I can remember a big opposition yelling at us about what we’re going to do about flooding,” he said.

Shelby mitigation progress not a ‘cure-all’

Shelby Mayor Steve Schag said since the flood of 2007, a number of projects have been completed along the banks of the Black Fork.

“Over the years, we’ve tried to be good stewards (of the river),” he said. “We’ve tried to make sure there is a free-flowing stream through the city. That’s what we can do within the city limits.”

Schag said the city widened the base of the Main Street bridge and took back the embankment as far as possible.

“We’ve increased the capacity for water to flow under the Main Street bridge, which I think is a good thing,” he said. “It’s a step in the right direction, but again, it’s not a cure-all.”

Other initiatives include cleaning along the riverbank, creating two water retention cut-ins on London West Road, and moving the Shelby Fire Department from East Main Street to High School Avenue.

Schag said the recent demolitions of W.W. Skiles Field and the former Central school building have also increased the available volume of retention area in the city’s downtown.

State Rep. Marilyn John, Shelby mayor from 2009 to 2015, said moving vital pieces of the city’s infrastructure were necessary decisions that needed to be made.

“Continuing to find ways to do that is what I feel the city should do,” John said.

The 15-acre space formerly occupied by Central school and the former W.W. Skiles Field exemplifies a great use of floodplain, Gies said.

“The water comes out (of the Black Fork) there and it needs to store there, so you don’t hurt other protective areas,” he said. “But, you need a much bigger area if you’re going to have a huge impact.”

City on the rise remains vulnerable to flood waters

Transformative efforts led by the Shelby Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) have created new amenities and beautification projects for the community to enjoy along the river.

According to the CIC website, projects along the Black Fork are not directed to address Shelby’s history with flooding.

However, portions of their work will contribute to preventative efforts such as laying back the banks.

New businesses continue to blossom throughout the heart of downtown, reminding John of the city’s beginnings.

“There was a reason that the city of Shelby was founded around the river and the river was all about commerce,” she said. “If it hadn’t been for the Black Fork, I don’t know if the city of Shelby would exist today.”

Mayor says Black Fork is something ‘we’ve learned to live with’

Schag said as time has passed, the city’s geographical situation has been met with a certain degree of acceptance.

“When the river runs through it (city), you’re going to have to live with the pluses and minuses of that situation,” he said. “It’s something we’ve learned to live with.”

Coming next:

The second installment of Ripple Effect will feature flooding solutions explored by representatives from Shelby and Richland County for more than a decade and how they were received by the affected community. Part 2 will be published Tuesday, Jan. 30.