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Last modified: Friday, April 3, 2009 3:03 PM CDT
Mooreton fought against raging Antelope Creek
by Kathleen Leinen • Daily News
Almost 4 inches of rain fell overnight one night last week causing the city of Mooreton’s lift station to fail and the sewer system to back up into residential homes.
The deadly combination of sewer water and overland flooding caused numerous homes throughout town to have water flood their basements.
At 5:30 a.m. March 23 Mark Olsby and Linda Bucholz watched in disbelief as their basement filled with water. Olsby knew there was a problem during the night when he heard the sump pump running constantly in the basement.
It was a long night as they waited for morning to see the extent of the damage. In the early morning hours, Olsby and Bucholz went into their basement and found out water was in the house. There wasn’t enough time for the couple to save anything in the basement.
“It’s been a tough month,” Olsby said.
He lost his job with Scott’s Electric three weeks before and now he lost his house to flooding.
He stood in water halfway up his boots and pointed out the water line. The water inside his house was even with the level seen on the outside, which meant their basement was filled with at least three feet of water.
It was a horrible situation and Bucholz was shaken.
“My daughter lost everything,” she said. “We don’t have flood insurance because we don’t live in the flood zone.”
She realized the irony of this statement. She may not be considered in the flood zone, but flood waters definitely overtook her home.
As if losing a job and their house wasn’t enough, Bucholz has a son stationed in Iraq and his car was sitting in the high water outside of her home.
Neighbors to the west of Olsby and Bucholz had just moved into Mooreton in June. Matt and Sheila Bohn loved the location and their children were happily settled into their large home.
About 9 a.m. Monday morning, the Bohn family had their basement flooded when the sewer system failed in town. But it wasn’t the only water which threatened their home. Overland flooding was all around and Sheila Bohn worried they would lose more.
“This situation is unreal,” she said. “I’m sick to my stomach. If this water keeps rising we may lose everything.”
The city of Mooreton was in an emergency situation throughout the day with flooding all around. The Antelope Creek was running well beyond its boundaries, to combine with overland flooding. Icebergs literally covered fields all around Mooreton as the fast-moving water kept pushing the icebergs around.
Trucks were busy with load after load of sand being dumped along the city’s Main Street and residents picked up their shovels to help sandbag.
Although her own basement was filled with water, Sheila Bohn never hesitated. She dug in alongside her friends and neighbors to battle the rising water.
“I have to help save everyone else’s home,” a quietly determined Bohn said.
It was a long night and destined to be a longer day.
Some residences had water lapping at their doorsteps. Sandbaggers concentrated their efforts on protecting Vernon and Joan Althoff’s home as well as the residence of Jeremy and Wendy Eggers.
The Eggers home is located near the ball diamonds and was completely surrounded by water. A line of sandbaggers did what they could to protect the house.
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