Tampa Bay storm drains tested by heavy rain ahead of Hurricane Isaias

Heavy rain across the Tampa Bay area tested local drainage systems and left several roads underwater, keeping local public works crews busy as forecasters track Hurricane Isaias in the Gulf.Local Drainage EffortsCrews across Hillsborough County, Pinellas County and Tampa are actively clearing ditches, drains and canals while monitoring vulnerable low-lying areas. The City of Tampa reports that crews have shaped up or graded over 11 miles or 60,000 feet of city ditches since January.In Hillsborough County, crews set up warning signs for roads underwater following flash flooding in Town 'n Country. According to Hillsborough County Public Works Engineering and Operations Director Josh Bellotti, local systems are built to handle 25-year storm events, but recent rainfall was more than double that capacity. Over 3.5 inches of rain fell during a single overnight event, with high-intensity bursts reaching 1.3 inches in under 15 minutes."Our focus is on making sure that the system is operating