PETERSBURG, Va. β Petersburg officials and business owners are preparing for potential flooding as more rain is in the forecast this weekend and next week.
City crews spent the morning cleaning storm drains to help water flow out of the city quickly. They also placed barricades and signs near flood-prone streets so they can be blocked off if needed.
"We do have some vehicles that get stranded and we do have to have [first responders] come out and pull people out, so it's just being cautious," said March Altman, Petersburg City Manager.
RELATED: Petersburg declares local state of emergency after severe flooding
Businesses in Old Towne Petersburg are also getting ready. At Buttery Baking House, recent flooding nearly reached their kitchen, making storm preparation essential.
"The rain is just one more of those concerns," said Claudia Glazier, owner of Buttery Baking House.
Sandbags have become a common sight throughout Old Towne, including behind Glazier's bakery.
"Ever since that last storm, they brought us these sandbags," Glazier said. "They are ready to go and stack against the door whenever we need it. So that's what we are going to do today."
FORECAST: Hour-by-hour look at waves of rain through Saturday a.m. followed by ocassional showers, thunderstorms
Brickhouse Run, which carries one-third of the city's stormwater to the Appomattox River, has been a problem area. The city has made improvements to help manage flooding.
"We have installed riprap that will help dissipate floodwaters as they come down, slow the velocity so we don't have as much erosion," Altman said.
Almost all rainwater that falls in Petersburg eventually flows downtown, creating challenges during heavy storms.
"What happens on the far western portion of the city, all that rain that hits out there ends up in Downtown at Brickhouse Run. That amount of water through that massive of an area is what creates that volume and ultimately the flooding," Altman said.
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