Flooding creating trouble for Port Clinton

PORT CLINTON — The rising waters of Lake Erie have lowered profits for some downtown Port Clinton merchants, who have seen water sometimes cover their parking lots and close their businesses.The record lake elevation has created a real problem for merchants close to the water's edge, such as the stores and businesses on North Madison Street."There are days we can't even open, days we have to close early or open late," said Loria Hofer, manager of Great Lakes Popcorn Company, 60 Madison St.The Port Clinton Fish Co., at 2 Madison St., has had to close 25 to 30 times this summer, said Rich Stinson, president and owner of the multigenerational family business. "In June, I was closed three full weekends out of four."The closures forced by high water, which often covers the parking lot serving the businesses, have dealt a blow to a business that relies largely on fish sales to tourists, Stinston said. He estimates flooding has cost him $80,000 to $100,000."It comes right up to our steps," said Tracy Thom, who does marketing for Trulove Jewelers, 94 Madison St. "It doesn't come inside our store, but it comes right up to our steps."Photos and videos of the flooding at the store have gone viral on social media, Thom said."We have kept our sense of humor throughout the whole thing," Thom said. "We have funny videos. There's nothing else you can do."Tim McCann, the owner of Fisherman's Wharf, 83 Madison St., said that while walleye fishing and the store's charter boat business is good, business at the store is slow when the water is up and it's hard for customers to get in."We've had water in the store 14 times this year," McCann said.While no decision has been made yet, the business is considering pouring concrete to raise the floor level six to eight inches, McCann said.Olen Martin, Port Clinton's safety-service director, said the city also is trying to figure out possible solutions for the high water on North Madison and North Jefferson streets."We have an engineering firm that we are working with," Martin said. "We are trying to come up with a plan right now. There is a potential for a sea wall.""If they put a two-foot wall up, I think it would shut all of the flooding down," Stinson said.Martin said the city beach has been closed since April because of high water that eroded the sand and exposed a power line.The city is concerned about power poles on West Lakeshore Drive."You can see the poles lean from side-to-side," Martin said.Many of the poles were damaged by ice during cold weather, and Martin says he is concerned about further damage."I'm more concerned about the fall and winter," he said.Water levels in Toledo are currently at 66.2 inches, well above the normal 45-to-50 inches, said Kirk Lombardy, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Cleveland.If the midline of the lake level forecast is correct, the lake has likely peaked and will begin to decline in elevation, Lombardy said. So far, however, it has followed the high end of the forecast, which could mean it will keep rising in August and September.Fall could bring another problem — high winds from the north that blow the water toward the shore, creating significant flooding, Lombardy said.High water is possible in 2020, depending on how much snow and rain Ohio gets next winter, Lombardy said."That's the big question right now. We should lose some of the water over the course of the winter," he said.Part of the current problem is that Lake Erie didn't lose enough water last season. A dry winter season would give the Great Lakes a chance to drain, he said.Flooding covers what's normally a place for cars to park on North Madison Street. Not everyone is unhappy about flooding in Port Clinton, Tracy Thom says. Loria Hofer, manager of Great Lakes Popcorn Co. Street flooding eliminates parking spots near the store, she says. "People don't want to wade through the water."