Prepared for round 2

FINDLAY - Waters have receded in Findlay after flooding shut down the city the past 48 hours.

But with more rain expected overnight into Wednesday, Flag City residents and county and city officials are ready for round two.

It was business as usual Tuesday after flood waters from the Blanchard River force several streets to close Sunday and Monday. The Blanchard crested Monday afternoon at 14.5-feet, about 3-feet above flood stage.

Now that the river is back in its banks, traffic is moving again. But the barriers are on stand-by on every corner, just in case.

"We're hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst," said Mayor Pete Sehnert. "Our attitude is we'd rather be a little on the heavy side and be cautious than be light and not be enough."

Volunteers are still sandbagging, getting more bags ready to barricade homes and businesses in case more rain sends the river back over its banks and in to downtown. Mayor Sehnert said the city has learned from floods in the past and the system in place now gives his team 48 hours to prepare for major flooding and minimize its impact.

"We've got a good system right now. Everybody is pitching in and I think we are going to be fine."

"The water will come up then it will go down and we're much better than prepared than we were in 2007," said James Knott, a Downtown Findlay business owner.

Knott had water come in his antique and lighting store back in August 2007, but this time around he's more optimistic. Even is the water rises, he knows he'll survive.

"There are things that happen," he said. "We live in a swamp and we have to expect this."