(Estherville)– They’re hoping for drier times in Estherville.
The city was deluged with five and-a-half inches of rain that fell in less than two and-a-half hours between midnight May 6th and 2:30 a.m. May 7th, causing a wave of water, mud and field debris to wash over the city. That isn’t to mention additional rain that’s fallen since then.
Debris from farm fields north of the city clogged storm sewers, causing severe flash flooding that sent water rushing through streets and homes…flooding many basements. The city’s sanitary sewer system was overwhelmed as a result, causing sewage to back-up into scores of basements.
Landslides occurred on Estherville’s west side, damaging and blocking some streets with massive amounts of mud, trees and other debris.
City Administrator Steve Woodley estimates damage so far at 30-thousand dollars. And he says that’s probably conservative.
Victims of the May 6th and 7th flash flooding filled the council chambers to overflowing at Monday’s city council meeting. They demanded the city do something to prevent something similar from happening again.
Mayor Lyle Hevern vows the city will follow up on the resident’s concerns, saying a steering committee will be formed to look into the various issues such as run-off. He says they’ll also be working with the county to possibly extend a drainage district just north of the city and to look at possible options to divert drainage in that area.
Hevern says they’ll also investigate allegations that some 911 calls weren’t properly reponded to; he says they’ll look into smoke testing sewers for possible cross-connections; overflow issues on Fifth Avenue North will be looked into along with a tile at Wayne King Park. In addition, Hevern vowed the city will crack down on those with sump pumps illegally hooked into the sanitary sewer. City Attorney Gordon Forsyth warned the council that could be difficult to do as the city would have to have probable cause…i.e. a search warrant…to enter people’s homes who deny the city’s request.
Hevern couldn’t give a time frame as to when those things would be done.
The city is denying any liability for what happened. Forsyth told the council it was nothing the city had any control over, saying it was “an act of God”.
Emmet County Emergency Management Coordinator Terry Reekers is applying for federal flood assistance, but Hevern says they aren’t getting their hopes up the city will receive anything from it.
Meanwhile, many Estherville residents continue to clean up, while others are still waiting for the water to drop in their basements. Some basements still had several feet of water in them yet as of Monday.
Hevern says the city will continue to pick up flood-damaged items the next several days atleast.
