Just about anywhere you look in the city of Lima, there’s a least a little bit of rainwater collecting on the streets, but in some places there’s more water than others as we face several inches of rain over the span of a few days.
Those with the Allen County Engineer’s Office say that they’re keeping an on rivers and creeks if they were to flow over their banks, but so far, thanks to a fairly dry summer the flooding is stay at bay for now.
"It’s been beneficial that we still have some leaves on the trees, a lot of the fields are still up and collecting some of that water," said Joe Gearing, drainage engineer for the Allen County Engineer's Office. "We ask that people keep their downspouts and gutters clean, don’t discharge them into your sump pump, discharge them onto the ground and not directly to the storm sewer or directly to the streets."
Of course, there is some flooding already out there, and drivers need to keep an eye out to avoid trouble - even just a small amount of flooded water can cause issues out on the roadways.
"Any amount of water on the roadway, a couple of inches can take a small vehicle and move it off the roadway, swift moving water, eight to 12 inches can move a large vehicle off the roadway," said Tom Berger, Allen County EMA director. "You may travel roadways when it rains all the time, and you might be able to traverse it one day, but the next day that roadway may be washed away and you might put yourself in a situation you don’t want to be in. It also puts our first responders in a situation where they have to come out and try to rescue you. We tell people all the time that old adage of 'turn around, don’t drown'."
Drivers are also asked to heed any flood warning signs that might be placed out on the roads over the next few days.
