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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Plans set for 30th annual Hiroshima-Nagasaki Vigil ... How'd you get into theater? 'The stage doors were open' ... Mix saw thousands of dollars go down the drain when water didn't ... Plans set for 30th annual Hiroshima-Nagasaki Vigil ... How'd you get into theater? 'The stage doors were open' ... Mix saw thousands of dollars go down the drain when water didn't ... JULY 7 FLOODING Mix saw thousands of dollars go down the drain when water didn't Popular bakeshop quickly reopened, but it and other affected businesses don't want a repeat Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jul. 10, 2015 at 7:45 PM Updated Jul 10, 2015 at 8:46 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jul. 10, 2015 at 7:45 PM Updated Jul 10, 2015 at 8:46 PM » Social News After three days of meetings with business people and department heads, the city has learned one big lesson, says acting Ashland city Administrator Lee Tuneberg: “We can get a lot more rain on this city than our drains can handle. There’s no doubt about it.” In the aftermath of Tuesday evening’s monster flash flood — 1.64 inches of rain in an hour — the city has set to work restudying what changes can be engineered for the inundated Calle Guanajuato Way, most likely a flapper valve that lets a mini-tsunami flow into the creek, but keeps rising creek water from gushing back into the town’s business district, Tuneberg said. The so-called "flood gate" at the bottom of the Calle was never intended as a flood gate, but only to offer worker access to the creek, so it will be of no help in future flash floods, he said. The three-foot high wall along the Calle walkway that trapped water on the Calle instead of letting it into the creek is under study by Public Works for any possible design changes. Water flowing through the main business district on East Main Street — and down Pioneer Street and other streets leading to Main Street, all ended up funneling into the Calle, said Daniel Greenblatt, owner of Greenleaf Restaurant on the west side of the Plaza. “I trust the city is working out the drainage problem,” he said. “Something has to be done.” Tuneberg said city staff reminded him many times this week that, “If you build your infrastructure to meet standard operations and needs, it’s not going to be big enough to deal with a rainstorm like we had. You can’t build it big enough.” With her Mix shop back in full operation after only one day down, owner Jamie North said the flooding of the lower level dining and baking area cost her in the tens of thousands of dollars — and they had no flood insurance. “There’s no flood insurance for people in flood plains,” she said. “It was the engineering of the Calle. That was the issue. All the water from the streets poured down the side (of Mix) and covered the Calle, then came in here.” Just up the street, Rebecca Phillips, receiving manager for Renaissance Rose, said the flood got in the rear door and went 50 feet into the lower level, while they kept pulling merchandise further and further back.  The city has not set a date for a report creating a new direction for flash flooding, but, said Tuneberg, that will be discussed when city Administrator Dave Kanner and other managers get back from vacations. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jul. 10, 2015 at 7:45 PM Updated Jul 10, 2015 at 8:46 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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