Record flooding in Soldiers Grove, Gays Mills, Steuben
Kickapoo River Bridge on Highway 61 near the Vernon County line. (Photos by Dennis Pelock)
Bridge in "old town" Soldiers Grove. It is hoped that the bridges in Crawford County do not give way under the pounding of the raging river.
County B near Gays Mills was one of several roads that were closed in Crawford County.
Highway 131 in Soldiers Grove remains closed.
This is another view of the bridge in "old town" of Soldiers Grove Tuesday morning.
This was part of Gays Mills Tuesday morning. The river is still rising and is expected to set a record.
By Ted Pennekamp
Crawford County emergency and Highway Department personnel are prepared and continue to monitor the Kickapoo River, which is predicted to reach record flood levels. Sandbagging was done at Soldiers Grove, Gays Mills and Steuben the morning of Aug. 28 in anticipation of the flood.
The river stage at Soldiers Grove the morning of Aug. 29 was at record levels and rising, according to Crawford County Highway Department Commissioner Dennis Pelock. According to the National Weather Service, it is expected to reach 24.5 feet later on Aug. 29. Flood stage is 13 feet at Soldiers Grove. The record is 21.6 feet set on July 22, 1951.
At 13 feet, flooding of lowland swamps and farmland near the river occurs. At 14 feet, water may begin to flood the park and campground area in the old section of town. At 19 feet, water begins to flow over the low end of the Highway 131 Bridge. At 20 feet, significant flooding occurs in the older parts of town.
At 8:56 a.m. on Aug. 29, Pelock was headed from Soldiers Grove to Gays Mills.
“We’re at record levels already, and the water is still rising,” said Pelock. “Highway 61 is closed, Highway 131, Highway 171 and County B. The water is higher than it’s ever been at Highway 61. The water is pounding against the bridge and the bridge is closed. We’re hoping these bridges will hold. They’re in jeopardy. We can’t measure how high the water is at the bridge because the measuring device is under water.”
In Gays Mills, the river is also at record stage the morning of Aug. 29, said Pelock. Flood stage is 13 feet. The river is predicted to reach 23.5 feet later on Aug. 29. The record is 20.4 feet on June 9, 2008.
At 13 feet, water begins to cover roads near the river, including Sand Hill Road near Bell Center. Minor flooding occurs in areas adjacent to the river, including Robb Park in Gays Mills. At 15 feet, moderate flooding is possible in and around Gays Mills. At 17 feet, water can be expected in the town of Gays Mills with depth possibly reaching two feet in places.
A record level is also expected at Steuben. Flood stage at Steuben is 12 feet. It is predicted to crest at 21 feet on Aug. 29 or Aug. 30. The record is 19.2 feet.
At 12 feet, water starts to affect business and residences and minor flooding affects lowlands and lower roads. At 12.5 feet, water reaches the bottom support beams of the bridge. At 13 feet, Bridge Street near the gage begins to flood and Highway 179 may be threatened. At 15 feet, the town of Steuben experiences significant flooding. At 18 feet, water is several feet deep in buildings located along Highway 179.
“The good thing is there has been no flash flood damage that we know of yet like we usually get with these things,” said Pelock about flooding in the county so far. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
Crawford County Dispatch said Wednesday morning, around 9:30 a.m., that there were several cows floating in a field along Highway 131.
Also, a letter was sent by Sen. Jennifer Shilling and two other legislators to Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday afternoon requesting he declare a state of emergency for Crawford County, in addition to Vernon, La Crosse, Juneau, Monroe, Fond du Lac and Washington counties, which were already declared in a state of emergency Tuesday.
**Individuals affected by flooding should contact their local county emergency management office to request assistance or report damage. The Crawford County office can be reached at 326-0266, and for the Vernon County office, call (608) 637-5266.
Residents may report home damage by calling 211 as well.
Additionally, individuals can contact Sen. Jennifer Shilling’s office toll-free at (800) 385-3385 to request information or assistance. Rep. Kind’s office can also help Wisconsinites work with federal agencies regarding flooding and severe weather. More information can be found by calling toll-free: (888) 442-8040 or visiting kind.house.gov.
Farmers should report crop damage to the Farm Service Agency.
