- June 2008 Midwest floods
Infobox flood
image location=River_Flooding.jpgJune 10 ,2008
name=June 2008 Midwestern U.S. floods
duration=June 7 - July 1
total damages (USD)= $6 Billion+
total fatalities=13 Deaths
areas affected=Illinois ,Indiana ,Iowa ,Missouri ,Minnesota andWisconsin The June 2008 Midwestern United States floods were flooding events which affected portions of the
Midwest United States . After months of heavy precipitation a number of rivers overflowed their banks for several weeks at a time and broke throughlevee s at numerous locations. Flooding continued into July. States affected by the flooding includedIllinois ,Indiana ,Iowa ,Michigan ,Minnesota ,Missouri , andWisconsin . TheAmerican Red Cross assisted the victims of flooding and tornadoes across seven states and theNational Guard was mobilized to assist in disaster relief and evacuation.Flooding continued as long as two weeks with central
Iowa andCedar Rapids being hardest hit. The upper Mississippi Valley experienced flooding inMissouri andIllinois as the region's estuaries drained the floodwater into the river. The flood left thirteen dead and damage region-wide was estimated to be in the tens of billions.Illinois
Infobox flood
image location=
name=June 2008 Illinois Flood
duration=June 7 - June 28
total damages (USD)=TBD
total fatalities=1 Death
areas affected= Adams, Hancock, Henderson, Mercer countiesOn June 11,
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich deemed Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Jasper and Lawrence counties as disaster areas. Levee breaks on June 10 flooded portions of Lawrence County near Lawrenceville, inundating a campsite and forcing the evacuations of 200 homes. [cite web
title =Illinois Flooding
publisher =WIFR
date =2008-06-11
url =http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/19766004.html
accessdate =2008-06-14 ]On June 14 many communities located along the Mississippi river in West Central Illinois were notified by the National Weather Service that crests along the river would exceed the record crests of 1993.
On the early Morning of
June 14 , the town ofOquawka, Illinois was evacuated, due to a breach in a levee along the swollenIowa River . It was the belief of the city council that this would affect the flood waters along the already floodedMississippi River . The same day two levees broke near the town ofKeithsburg, Illinois , flooding the entire town. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367142,00.html FOXNews.com - National Guard Troops Work to Contain Iowa Flood Damage - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News ] ]On the morning of
June 15 , a levee along theMississippi River in the town of Gulfport failed, flooding most of the town. Two more levees were breached by flood waters in western Illinois on June 18. The breaches flooded farmland near Meyer and forced an evacuation of the town. [cite web
title =Ill. levee breaches force small town's evacuation
publisher ="Chicago Tribune"
date =2008-06-18
url =http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-midwest-flooding,0,6419620.story
accessdate =2008-06-18 ]More than $7.2 million in federal disaster assistance grants and loans were approved by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration for Illinois residents who suffered damages and losses. [cite press release
title =FEMA: Illinois Disaster Aid Exceeds $7 Million
publisher =7thSpace Interactive
date =2008-07-26
url =http://7thspace.com/headlines/288081/fema_illinois_disaster_aid_exceeds_7_million.html
accessdate =2008-07-28 ]Indiana
Infobox flood
image location=2008 Indiana Flood.jpgJohnson County, Indiana line underwater due to flooding
name=June 2008 Indiana Flood
duration=June 7 - June 16
total damages (USD)=estimated: $126 million — $1 billion [http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=29796 Flooding Damage Estimate at $126 Million - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick ] ]
total fatalities=3 Deaths
areas affected=Adams, Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Clay, Daviess, Dearborn, Elkhart, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Henry, Huntington, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, LaGrange, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Miami, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Ohio, Owen, Parke, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Decatur, Shelby, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Union, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warrick, Wayne, and White counties. [ [http://www.in.gov/gov/3775.htm# "Disaster Assistance Center Locations"] . Indiana State Department of Homeland Security. Accessed 14 June 2008.]Central and southwestern Indiana was particularly hard hit; damage costs are expected to make the flooding the costliest disaster in the history of the state. Starting on
June 4 ,2008 , rain soaked parts of south-central Indiana leading to initial floods in and around Bloomington. Additional rain onJune 7 brought the worst of the flooding to larger portions of south-central and western Indiana. The highest recorded rainfall amount was in the town of Edinburgh, which saw convert|10.94|in|mm of rain in just seven hours. Paragon saw convert|10|in|mm of rain in just a few hours, leaving 90% of the town underwater [cite web|url = http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=8447831 |title = WTHR - Indianapolis News and Weather - One dead, one missing in Indiana flooding |accessdate = 2008-06-14] . Some parts of the state saw flood levels exceeding the records set in 1913. [cite web|url = http://www.examiner.com/a-1432603~Flooding_breaks_records_set_in_1913_flood.html |title = Flooding breaks records set in 1913 flood |accessdate = 2008-07-06] OnJune 9 , PresidentGeorge W. Bush declared 29 counties in central Indiana a major disaster area opening up the region to receive federal aid andFederal Emergency Management Agency assistance. [cite web|url = http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364282,00.html |title = FOXNews.com - Tornadoes, Lightning, Floods Kill 8 From Midwest to Atlantic - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News |accessdate = 2008-06-14]Impact
Many low-lying areas of central and northern Indiana were evacuated because of the rapid rise of the waters. Indiana Governor
Mitch Daniels declared astate of emergency in 23 counties [cite web|url = http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080608/NEWS/80608002 |title = Flood disaster list grows | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star |accessdate = 2008-06-14] and called in theUnited States Coast Guard to assist in evacuations and rescues. The Coast Guard responded by sending two helicopters to the state along with boats and personnel. TheIndiana National Guard was called out to assist in evacuation and direct traffic and enforce road blocks on the many flooded roads. Some areas of southernIndianapolis , where the White River was several feet past flood stage, were evacuated including a hospital with one hundred patients and doctors. The Coast Guard were continuing to rescue trapped citizens on June 8. InFranklin, Indiana water rose as high as the first floor of Johnson Memorial Hospital. [cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080607/us_weather_080607/20080607?hub=World| author=CTV.ca News Staff|title=Southern Indiana braces for flash flooding|publisher=CTV.ca|accessdate=2008-06-08] Doctors and patients were also evacuated from Columbus Regional Hospital inColumbus, Indiana . The hospital will remain closed for an extended period of time because of power outages, generator failures, and extensive flood damage. It is expected to resume operations between September and December 2008, although it is expected to resume emergency services more quickly. [cite web|url=http://www.therepublic.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=111&ArticleID=121228|author=The Republic|title=CRH Communications, Saturday Update|publisher=The Republic|accessdate=2008-06-15] All patients were evacuated and moved to nearby hospitals. One hundred and fifty people were evacuated from a nursing home in Morgan County.The dam at Prince's Lake failed on June 7 threatening the community of
Nineveh, Indiana . On June 8 theWabash Valley between Lafayette andTerre Haute, Indiana was placed under flood alert and all residents near theWabash River were urged to evacuate their homes.Looting was reported inSeymour, Indiana where the White River had overflowed its banks forcing the evacuation of over one hundred homes. Governor Daniels dispatched extra state police to the city to curb the looting. On June 10, five hundred members of theKentucky National Guard were mobilized to assist Indiana in coping with the flood damage and rescuing stranded citizens. The same day floodwaters rose above record levels in at least five localities. In others the rising waters were near or at the historic 1913 flood levels. The flooding was the worst in Indiana's modern history according to Scott Morlock, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Indiana.Many roads were closed because of high water, including
Interstate 65 , which was closed southbound at the interchange withInterstate 465 through Seymour.On June 16
Ball State University released a report estimating that preliminary damages in the state would cost at least $126 million, with $45.8 million in damage to public infrastructure and the rest damage to private businesses and homes. Although damage estimates are likely to be revised upward, the current estimate places the flood as the second costliest in Indiana history. Governor Mitch Daniels said the state is compiling its own thorough estimation and expects total damages top $1 billion, though this would include agricultural costs (of over $800 million) and clean-up efforts not included in the Ball State University Study.Deaths
One man drowned in flood waters near
Remington, Indiana .Two deaths have been reported in
Columbus, Indiana . The first was confirmed by theDepartment of Homeland Security on June 8. [cite web|url = http://www.theindychannel.com/news/16542019/detail.html |title = 1 Dead, 1 Missing In Indiana Flood - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis |accessdate = 2008-06-14] On June 9, the body of aCummins employee was discovered a mile from where he was sighted swept away by floodwaters. [cite web|url = http://therepublic.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=111&ArticleID=121055 |title = Denied:1up! Software |accessdate = 2008-06-14]Iowa
Infobox flood
image location=Dairy Queen, Cedar Rapids, June 12 2008.jpg
name=June 2008 Iowa Flood
duration=June 7 - July 1
total damages (USD)=TBD
total fatalities=0 Deaths
areas affected=Severe flooding inIowa led to evacuations of many homes. In eastern Iowa along theIowa River and Cedar River, flooding was expected to exceed that of theFlood of 1993 . [cite web
url=http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080610/NEWS01/80610007
author=Iowa City Press-Citizen
title=Officials: Flood of 2008 to be worse than Flood of '93
publisher=Iowa City Press-Citizen
accessdate=2008-06-10] Flooding also forced the closure of a number of roads throughout the state, reaching the point where travel was not advised in some parts of the state.On Monday,
June 9 theUpper Iowa River in Decorah flooded when alevee was breached. Up to convert|6|in|mm|0 of rain had fallen in the 48 hours prior. The water flooded parts of the lower campus of Luther College, damaging athletic fields and the Regents Center. Winneshiek County officials called this the worst flood to occur in Decorah since the current levee system was put in place in the 1940s. [cite web|url = http://www.luther.edu/newsDetails.aspx?Channel=/Channels/Admissions+Content&WorkflowItemID=28551913-cd07-485f-ab36-77ea2f5df912 |title = News Article - Luther College |accessdate = 2008-06-14] [Sarah Strandberg, '" [http://www.decorahnewspaper.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=13&ArticleID=17766 Dike Breach causes flooding at Luther] ", "Decorah Newspapers", retrievedJune 13 ,2008 ] Other portions of the city were flooded. For a time, worries of losing the sanitary sewer system led to a 'please don't flush' order; as of Friday,13 June ,2008 , this order was withdrawn, but pleas for careful use remain in effect. [ [http://www.decorahnewspaper.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=13&ArticleID=17769 UPDATE: Latest flood information (Friday 10 a.m.)] , "Decorah Newspapers", retrievedJune 13 ,2008 ] Decorah and Winneshiek County now face a difficult cleanup.M]
Along the
Mississippi River , flood waters were reaching near record levels. In Burlington, the Mississippi reached three different crests, before hitting convert|22.3|ft|m on June 10, the fourth highest stage in the city's history; as of June 15, the expected crest was supposed to be around the convert|25.8|ft|m|sing=on mark, which would make it the second worst flood in the city's history, surpassing 1993 by convert|0.7|ft|m|sig=on. This caused theBurlington Steamboat Days to cancel and close up three days early, the first such occurrence that the festival has closed more than one day early since its inception in 1962. Severe flooding caused the city to close off an entire section of the riverfront, from Main Street to the riverfront. By the morning ofJune 15 , several streets within the city had been closed off, including the entire length of Front Street; a section of Main Street, between Division Street, and Jefferson Street; a section of Mill Dam Road; Tama Road and all of its side roads; and County Highway 99.U.S. Highway 61 , five miles (8 km) south of the city, had been closed on the morning ofJune 13 due to the rising waters of theSkunk River .Along the upper Turkey River, the historic towns of Spillville and Fort Atkinson experienced significant flooding, with damaged roads and bridge approaches. [Sarah Strandberg, " [http://www.decorahnewspaper.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=17745 Heavy rains send Upper Iowa to historic level; Spillville and Fort Atkinson also hit with massive flooding] " , "Decorah Newspapers", retrieved
June 13 ,2008 ] Further downstream, portions of Elkader were under water; the river had retreated by Thursday,June 12 . [" [http://www.kcrg.com/floodwatch/coverage/19848299.html Elkader Completes First Round of Home Inspections] ".KCRG-TV , retrievedJune 13 ,2008 ]In Cedar Rapids, officials were readying residents and downtown business owners to evacuate as the Cedar River threatened to spill over a levee. The river was expected to top the levee
June 11 , prompting a mandatory evacuation of downtown. All of the bridges over the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids were closed at 8:00 pm CDT (0100 UTC) onJune 11 . [cite web
title =2nd Ave Bridge to Close by 8:00pm
publisher =KCRG-TV
date =2008-06-11
url =http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19791959.html
accessdate =2008-06-11 ] OnJune 12 , a levee broke, a railroad bridge owned by theCedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway was swept away along with loaded rail cars, 100 city blocks were submerged downtown, and 10,000 people were evacuated. [cite web
title = Cedar River blasts records; residents flee; rail cars fall
publisher =The Des Moines Register
date =2008-06-12
url = http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/NEWS/806120395/1001/NEWS
accessdate =2008-06-11 ] In Waterloo, fast-moving water swept away a railroad bridge used to transport tractors from a John Deere factory to Cedar Rapids. It also prompted the city to shut its downtown and close five bridges. The Black Hawk County Emergency Management Agency recommended the evacuation of the Cedar Terrace Neighborhood in Southeast Waterloo on June 10. [cite web
title =Recommended Evacuation of SE Waterloo Neighborhood
publisher =KCRG-TV
date =2008-06-10
url =http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19732069.html
accessdate =2008-06-10 ] Because of the severe flooding in east-central Iowa, officials with U.S. Postal Service's Des Moines-based Hawkeye District suspended all Retail, Post Office Box and Mail Caller Services at the Waterloo Main Post Office. [cite web
title =Flood Forces Waterloo Post Office to Suspend All Retail Operations
publisher =KCRG-TV
date =2008-06-11
url =http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19788534.html
accessdate =2008-06-11 ]On
June 12 , a mandatory evacuation was issued for the Normandy Drive area of Iowa City. [cite web
title =Mandatory Evacuation for Normandy Drive in Iowa City
publisher =KCRG-TV
date =2008-06-12
url =http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19814224.html
accessdate =2008-06-12 ] An evacuation of two streets in Coralville was also issued, with the expectations of completing it by 5:00 pm CDT (2200 UTC) onJune 12 . [cite web
title =MANDATORY EVACUATION: Two Streets in Coralville Told to Leave by Morning
publisher =KCRG-TV
date =2008-06-12
url =http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19813009.html
accessdate =2008-06-12 ] One person died in the Iowa flooding. [cite web
title =Flash Floods Inundate Wisconsin Town, Homes Washed Away; Heat Roasts East
publisher =Fox news
date =2008-06-10
url =http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364662,00.html
accessdate =2008-06-10 ] A section ofInterstate 80 was closed in Cedar County due to flooding. [cite web
title =Cedar County section of I-80 to close at 8 p.m. tonight
publisher = The Gazette
date =2008-06-12
url = http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/NEWS/157313992/1001/NEWS
accessdate =2008-06-12]The small town of Palo, just upstream from Cedar Rapids, and home of Iowa's only nuclear power plant, underwent a mandatory evacuation. As of
June 13 , the town remains under water. [ [http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/NEWS/523930815 "Flood waters isolate Palo"] , Gazette Online, retrievedJune 13 ,2008 ]At 3:43am on the morning of
June 14 , the National Weather Service in Des Moines Iowa issued a Flash Flood Warning for the City of Des Moines due to a convert|50|ft|m|sing=on wide levee breach along the Des Moines River in Des Moines near Birdland Park between 6th Avenue and New York Avenue.In the evening of June 14, a levee along the
Iowa River nearOakville, Iowa failed, causing the swollen waters to rampage through, two days before the mandatory evacuation deadline in the town of Oakville. This also caused evacuation in the Huron Township area. Also, during that same time, an area of the city ofBurlington, Iowa was evacuated, along Tama Road, due to a levee problem along the swollenMississippi River ; the levee began to bulge and was threatening to fail by mid afternoon. By nightfall, it was still holding, but hopes were not high that it would remain intact; this causedDes Moines County to issue an evacuation order for all residents of the county that live east of County Highway 99. By the morning ofJune 15 , the entire length of County Highway 99 within Des Moines County had been closed. By the morning ofJune 16 , three more bulges were discovered along the levee, prompting workers to state that it was no longer a question of if but when the levee would fail. OnJune 16 , Cedar, Jones, Louisa, Muscatine, Polk, and Winneshiek Counties were approved for federal individual assistance. [cite web
title =Six More Counties Receive Federal Assistance
publisher =KCRG-TV
date =2008-06-16
url =http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19968294.html
accessdate =2008-06-16]Michigan
Infobox flood
image location=
name=June 2008 Michigan Flood
duration=June 7 - June 16
total damages (USD)=TBD
total fatalities=8 Deaths
areas affected=Several tornadoes touched down in southern
Michigan and flooding led to evacuation of many homes. At least eight people died, due to a combination of blowing debris, flooding, and infrastructure failures. On June 14th aState of Emergency is declared for the counties of Allegan, Eaton, and Mason. In days leading up to the State of Emergency, 8 to convert|11|in|mm of rain has fallen and winds have been recorded at 98 miles per hour across the area. Officials in Allegan County are expecting to spend nearly $700,000 to repair collapsed roads. More than 50 roads in Mason County are closed due to severe damage, as well as several miles ofUS-10 andUS-31 . In the City of Ludington damage to the city's public utilities has left many without drinking water and sewage contamination in the area. [cite web|url = http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=93785 |title = wzzm13.com | Grand Rapids, MI | Governor Granholm Declares State of Emergency in Two West Michigan Counties |accessdate = 2008-06-14] [cite web|url = http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=93707&catid=14 |title = wzzm13.com | Grand Rapids, MI | Eight inches (203 mm) of rain fall on lakeshore, roads washed out |accessdate = 2008-06-14] [cite web|url = http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=93713 |title = wzzm13.com | Grand Rapids, MI | Hoekstra to tour counties hit by severe weather today |accessdate = 2008-06-14] [cite web|url = http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=93790 |title = wzzm13.com | Grand Rapids, MI | Mason County cleanup continues after devastating storm |accessdate = 2008-06-14]Minnesota
Approximately 75 homes in
Preston, Minnesota suffered water damage from excessive rainfall. Some residents were evacuated inHayfield, Minnesota after theZumbro River flooded. The Cedar River also flooded which threatened to cause problems inAustin, Minnesota . One man died when his vehicle plunged into a flooded creek near Albert Lea. [cite web|url = http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=514314 |title = kare11.com | Twin Cities, MN | Frantic sandbagging in Austin as river nears crest Thursday |accessdate = 2008-06-14]Missouri
Infobox flood
image location=
name=June 2008 Missouri Flood
duration=June 10 - July 28
total damages (USD)=TBD
total fatalities=0 Deaths
areas affected= Clark, Pike, Lincoln, St. CharlesThe deluge of storms led to a quick rise of water on the
Mississippi River which saw water crest ten feet above flood stage inHannibal, Missouri on June 10. The National Weather Service predicted that the flood stage could be higher in the next two weeks. Most of the towns near the river are protected by levees, but outlying areas are vulnerable to flooding.cite web
title = Mississippi River floods could be worst in 15 years
publisher =CNN
date =2008-06-10
url =http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/06/10/severe.weather.ap/index.html
accessdate =2008-06-10 ]On
June 27 ,2008 ,Muskrat holes weakened a Mississippi River levee, allowing floodwaters to pour intoLincoln County, Missouri . The levee was the last one remaining in Lincoln County and was protecting about 100 homes. Sheriff's deputies alerted residents to evacuate, yelling "get out, the levee broke" as they went door-to-door in the affected areas. Sirens also went off to warn residents of the levee breach. Muskrats looking for food or making dens had dug into the levee, weakening it enough for the levee to breach. [cite web
title = Floodwaters breach Mississippi River levee
publisher = CNN
date =2008-06-27
url =http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/06/27/floods/index.html
accessdate =2008-06-27 ]Wisconsin
Infobox flood
image location=New_Dell_Creek_Channel_draining_Lake_Delton_with_wrecked_homes.jpg
name=June 2008 Wisconsin Flood
duration=June 7 - June 21
total damages (USD)=TBD
total fatalities=1 Death
areas affected=Adams, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Lafayette, La Crosse, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago counties.cite news| url=http://www.madison.com/tct/news/290641| title=FEMA to view flood damage; state of emergency in 30 counties| date=2008-06-11 | work=Wisconsin State Journal| accessdate=2008-06-12| author=Novak, Bill ]On
June 7 , at least six confirmed tornadoes touched down in multiple counties, as an effect of the strong winds of the daily storms. [cite web | url = http://www.crh.noaa.gov/arx/?n=jun0708| accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = Tornadoes of June 7, 2008| publisher = NOAA'sNational Weather Service Weather Forecast Office ]Wisconsin Governor
Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency in thirty counties onJune 9 due to the flooding.FEMA inspectors are due to examine areas that suffered the most damage.Continued heavy rains in the Wisconsin Dells led to the Dell creek bypassing the dam holding
Lake Delton . On June 9, water rushing out of the lake eroded a section of County Highway A and washed away three homes and tore apart several others. The lake is now nearly empty and the escaping flood water created a new channel for theWisconsin River about a quarter mile away from the dam. cite web | url = http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_9534824| accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = Lake Delton, Wis. / Floods wipe out lake homes at Dells| publisher = TwinCities.com] [cite news|publisher="Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "|last=Romell|first=Rick|coauthors=Patrick Marley|date=2008-06-09|url=http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=760060|title=Swollen by rain, Lake Delton nearly empties, wrecking homes, damaging tourism hopes] Wisconsin National Guard engineers began repairs on the dam the same day, but with the breach being about convert|400|ft|m wide, the repairs were expected to be completed for over a year.cite web | url = http://www.wisn.com/news/16561090/detail.html | accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = Engineers Assess Lake Delton Flood Damage | publisher = WISN Milwaukee] However, as GovernorJim Doyle called the lake critical to the $1 billion Wisconsin Dells tourism industry, he said the Department of Natural Resources was trying to figure out how to get the water flowing in the man-made lake. Already, there are tourists who had made summer reservations at the lake’s twenty resorts who have been canceling their reservations. The response of the local businesses have been varied. The Delton Oaks Resort, a 60-year operation, will be closing. Meanwhile, the iconic Wisconsin Dells boat tours are reopening despite the low water level. TheTommy Bartlett Show is going to continue, though thewaterskiing aspect will be discarded at least until the lake is refilled. cite news |url=http://www.startribune.com/local/19655574.html?location_refer=Most%20Emailed:Homepage |title=Water washes away homes, forces evacuations in Wisconsin |last=Foley |first=Ryan |date=2008-06-09 |publisher=New York Times |accessdate=2008-06-10] [cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-wisconsin-floodsjun11,0,313266.story|title=In Wisconsin, the great lake robbery|publisher="Chicago Tribune "|last=Torriero|first=E. A.|date=2008-06-11] [ [http://video.ap.org/v/Legacy.aspx?g=c1ca5cca-d3e0-4586-a030-a5990b3b8c11&f=wimil&mk=en-ap&fg=copy Associated Press video via The Milwaukee State-Journal: "The show must go on"] ]In southwestern Wisconsin, the
Kickapoo River rose several feet above flood stage, destroying most of the village ofGays Mills . Gays Mills had already been badly flooded in the August 2007 floods. Officials said Kickapoo River flood damage in Vernon County likely will exceed the $60 million damage caused by the August 2007 floods, and already the water was two feet higher than thehigh water mark of a historic 1978 flood.cite web | url = http://www.vernonbroadcaster.com/articles/2008/06/16/news/00lead.txt| accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = Heavy rains flood county: Kickapoo River swallows towns| publisher = Vernon County Broadcaster] In the early morning of June 9, 150 residents in the village of 625 were forced to evacuate. Ontario, Hillsboro, La Farge, and Viola were also severely flooded, much worse than in August 2007. The county took an average of convert|9|in|mm of rain over the second weekend, causing mudslides and closing over 100 roads in Vernon, but the rain relented on Monday, June 16th. More thunderstorms, and more severe flooding, were expected in both Vernon and Crawford counties later that week. All the nearby dams held, though many sustained damage.Westbound lanes of Interstate 94 were closed between Johnson Creek and Lake Mills on
June 10 ,2008 at 7 PM because of the rising Rock River. [WKOW Madison. [http://wkow.madison.com/News/index.php?ID=22292 Interstate 94 to close westbound at Johnson Creek] .June 10 ,2008 .] Eastbound lanes of Interstate 90/Interstate 94 were closed between WIS 82 in Juneau County and WIS 33 west of Portage. Also, Interstate 39 was closed in two places: Northbound at its interchange with I-90/94 and WIS 78, and southbound between WIS 82 and WIS 33. The closure of I-94 westbound in Jefferson County was extended eastward to WIS 83 in Waukesha County. [cite web | url = http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=761716 | accessdate = 2008-06-13 | title = Tornadoes, flash floods spread misery in state | publisher =Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ] The closure of the interstates around Portage were extended southward to US 151 east of Madison. [cite web | url = http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=WIZ061&warncounty=WIC043&firewxzone=WIZ061&local_place1=5+Miles+NNW+Platteville+WI&product1=Local+Area+Emergency | accessdate = 2008-06-13 | title = National Weather Service Watches Warnings and Advisories ] [cite web | url = http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/291384 | accessdate = 2008-06-13 | title = 50 to 60 miles of interstate closures as Baraboo River rises | publisher =Wisconsin State Journal ]The first reported fatality due to flooding in the state was confirmed
June 14 in Waukesha County. 68-year-old Robert Schaf was found near his car on a flooded road in the town of Summit. Authorities report he died after being stranded on a flooded road, and was found in at least three feet of water. [cite web | url = http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2008/June_08/06162008_02.asp | accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = Officials probe flood death | publisher =The Waukesha Freeman ]Flooding also affected the communities on the
Baraboo River . The town of North Freedom had all but one road into town closed because of flooding. The flooding forced the closure of theMid-Continent Railway Museum . [cite web | url = http://www.midcontinent.org/ | accessdate = 2008-06-11 | title = Welcome to Mid-Continent - NEWS BULLETIN UPDATE ] [cite news| url=http://www.nbc15.com/news/headlines/19782299.html| title=North Freedom: Historic Flood| date=2008-06-11 | publisher=WMTV| accessdate=2008-06-11| ]On June 14, federal disaster aid from
FEMA was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Bush. Federal funding was made available to affected individuals in Columbia, Crawford, Milwaukee, Sauk, and Vernon counties. [cite web | url = http://www.vernonbroadcaster.com/articles/2008/06/16/thisjustin/05leadthis.txt| accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = FEMA aid granted to Vernon, other Wisconsin counties due to flooding| publisher = Vernon County Broadcaster] Continuing damage surveys were conducted, especially in the southeast, and Wisconsin's inhabitants were reassured that other counties would be allowed to receive assistance. [cite web | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25170042/| accessdate = 2008-06-16 | title = Five Counties Declared Disaster Areas| publisher =msnbc.com Broadcaster]Richland andRacine counties were declareddisaster area s onJune 16 . [cite web | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25197178/ | accessdate = 2008-06-19 | title = Bush Declares Richland, Racine Counties Disaster Areas | publisher =msnbc ] OnJune 18 , the President put five more counties under disaster area status, allowing Dodge, Green, Waukesha, Washington, and Winnebago. At the time of the announcement, the first 7 counties had already received almost $38,000 in FEMA aid.cite web | url = http://www.wisn.com/news/16645892/detail.html?rss=mil&psp=news | accessdate = 2008-06-19 | title = FEMA Declares 5 More Counties Disaster Areas | publisher = wisn.com ]The rainfall in southeastern Wisconsin was anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in the string of thunderstorms. Waukesha County had up to 8 inches in certain areas. As of
June 19 , municipal estimates for Waukesha County was $87.7 million, $3.2 million more than earlier in the week, though the total remains fluid.cite web | url = http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2008/June_08/06192008_01.asp | accessdate = 2008-06-19 | title = An official disaster | publisher =The Waukesha Freeman ]The Rock and Crawfish rivers were still above flood stage in Jefferson and Rock counties into mid-July.
ee also
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2007 Midwest flooding
*June 2008 tornado outbreak sequence
*March 2008 Midwest floods
*Floods in the United States until 1900
*References
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