MAHONING COUNTY 2 plans aim to handle storm water, control runoff

The plans are not related, but both should ultimately provide flood relief.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two plans are being developed in Mahoning County that officials hope will someday help eliminate, or at least ease, flooding problems such as those that rose in July.
The plans are unrelated, but both are intended to better contain and control runoff from heavy rain.
One is being done by the county engineer's office as a requirement under the federal Clean Water Act. That one, though, is geared more toward controlling the quality of storm water that runs into streams, rivers, lakes and other water sources.
"It's not flood-driven at all," said Tim Berkert, a design construction engineer with the engineer's office. "But we should get some positive impact on flood management as a side benefit."
The law requires counties and urban areas to have a plan in place to keep "illicit discharge" from being swept into water sources. That can be anything from fertilizers to oil from paved parking lots to excess mud or sediment from construction sites.
Berkert said the regulations apply only to new construction.
Pinpointing problems
A component of the project is developing a map of all storm sewers in the county, Berkert said. The county must find all points of discharge and monitor them for the presence of contaminants.
Berkert said most people don't realize that water from storm sewers flows to streams, rivers and lakes.
"Some people pour paint down the storm sewers," said Engineer Richard Marsico. "They don't realize that could end up going into their source of drinking water."
The plan requires the county to find all points of storm sewer discharge and to check the outflow. If contaminants are found, the county then has to track down the source and have the problem corrected.
Marilyn Kenner, chief deputy engineer, said that's where the county will glean information that should help alleviate flooding problems.
By tracking the storm sewers and locating points where they discharge into streams or lakes, the county can pinpoint areas that are prone to flooding and take steps to correct the problems, she said.
Kenner said flood relief from that avenue is going to take time because the storm sewer mapping will take three to five years to complete.
"After we get that done, we should see some benefits toward flood control," she said.
Second plan
The second plan is being done through the county emergency management agency, which received a federal grant for mitigation of natural disasters. Flooding is included in the spectrum of potential disasters, director Walter Duzzny said.
A storm water district and a committee appointed to study ways to alleviate flooding were set up within the county. A consultant also was hired to help with the project and will be paid with grant funds.
Duzzny said the committee and consultant have been working the past 10 months, studying flood trends and developing a plan for mitigating the problem.
The plan could include improved ditching or storm sewers for public property. It will also suggest ways for private residents to prevent flooding, such as installation of back-flow valves or submersible pumps in their homes, Duzzny said.
A draft version of the plan is expeted to be done in September and presented to local subdivisions for approval.
Excessive rainfall
Duzzny said the record-high rainfall that pounded the area in July will have to be considered for the plan, though he's not sure the flooding that resulted could have been avoided.
"I don't know if there is a storm sewer system big enough to handle that volume of rain in that short of time," Duzzny said.
At any rate, Duzzny said the goal is to find ways to keep residents and businesses from being flooded during normal and heavy rains.
"Hopefully, we will be able to provide some relief," he said.
Kenner said the plan also will include a system of educating flood victims about who to call for assistance for damages.
"We'll gather all our available resources and make a plan so that affected agencies know what their roles are," Kenner said.
bjackson@vindy.com