PORT CLINTON, Ohio — Right now the city of Port Clinton is under a state of emergency.
But it's not because of current flooding, but because of all the flooding the city has seen this month.
With a handful of flooding events in the last few weeks, Port Cliton's Lake Erie shore is battered.
As a result, a lot of different and expensive problems have been left for the city to fix.
Along Lake Shore Drive, west of town, large boulders have been hit with so many wave actions that some are now loose and have impacted nearby utility poles.
The high water is backing up storm drains.
But the most noticeable problem visually is the city beach erosion.
Much of the sand has been washed away, leaving behind the old construction rubble underneath.
"Well, that several feet of sand has disappeared, and now we've got a bunch of old bricks and other things that are an impediment to gaining access to the lake right here in this area," said Port Clinton mayor Mike Snider.
The erosion has also exposed a conduit carrying a high voltage power line here, so the beach is closed until further notice.
Mayor Snider hopes the emergency declaration will allow the city to get state aid to fix the various issues, as the city's annual budget would not be able to cover all of the costs.
"It's our understanding from the Army Corps of Engineers that we're in a high water cycle. And no one really knows how long that is going to last. It's certainly going to be longer than months, potentially years if history teaches us right. So, it's something we're going to have to deal with for some time," said Snider.
Mayor Snider said the city will remain in a state of emergency until all of these various issues have been resolved, and that could be months.