Floods in South Dakota force emergency managers into a race against time

Regional authorities are keeping an eye on sewer and river systems as heavy rains continue to hit Sioux Falls and parts of southeastern South Dakota.

Heavy rains have inundated the region to such an extent that rainfall records were broken in Sioux Falls, Mitchell and Huron on Thursday, and the rainfall continued into Friday.

Due to the influx of rainwater, disaster management officials and authorities in the region are closely monitoring sewage flows and knowing how this affects the water levels of streams and rivers.

In Sioux Falls, city emergency management officer Regan Smith told the Argus Leader on Friday that the city's 26-mile levee system, which controls flooding along the river and its tributary Skunk Creek, is “working well.”

But river levels are a cause for concern and should be monitored, Smith said. A “significant increase” has been noted in some places along the Big Sioux River, the emergency manager said, reflecting the strain the rain is putting on the city's sewer system.

“Our water treatment plant is experiencing a high inflow of wastewater [water]so we're watching that,” Smith added.

The city of Lennox, meanwhile, is under even greater pressure. City Administrator Nathan Vander Plaats said late Thursday evening that the city is in a “flood emergency situation.”

Vander Plaats told the Argus Leader he had heard several reports of flooded basements and roads being impassable due to the rain, but the city's main roads had been passable since midday.

However, the city's sewage system could not cope with the enormous amounts of rain, the city administration said. This led to the water backing up into some houses in a certain part of the city.

The National Weather Service is predicting more rain and, in some cases, severe storms for southeastern South Dakota until 5 p.m. Friday. Vander Plaats said it is a race against time to push out as much flood water as possible by then.

“We are actively fighting this right now,” Vander Plaats said. “We are doing everything we can to create more space for tonight.”

The threat of high river levels also lingered near the town of Brandon on Friday after emergency crews were dispatched to Huset's Speedway on Friday morning to rescue stranded RVs parked near the racetrack.

An Argus Leader reporter observed at least 8 RVs stuck in knee-deep floodwaters likely originating from Split Rock Creek, a waterway near the race track parking lots. Rescue crews used inflatable boats to rescue trapped RVs from the flooded area. At least two people were taken to higher ground by boat.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, river levels north of Brandon rose from 3.85 feet on Thursday to more than 12 feet at 7 a.m. Friday morning, although they do not necessarily reflect exact river depths.

Roads throughout Minnehaha County have been partially destroyed by the flooding, according to Jason Gearman, the county's emergency services director. He told the Argus Leader that “many roads” were under water Friday morning, prompting the county to erect barricades on the most heavily flooded sections of road.

At least one water rescue had to be conducted near Brandon Friday morning because a driver maneuvered around a road barricade, Gearman said.

csibon

Floods in South Dakota force emergency managers into a race against time

Anna Harden

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Related Posts

Places to explore in Hawaii – PINKVILLA

Opera Maine at the Waldo Theatre

Latest | Crucial runoff elections begin in France that could bring the far right to power | Us

Anna Harden

Leave a Reply Cancel reply