Rural homeowners concerned with overland and river flooding

County leaders are telling homeowners in rural areas to plan on the same kind of event as last year. That means many may once again be building temporary levees, sandbagging, and evacuating their homes.

“Hoping it won't be quite as stressful.”

Kindred farmer Mark Hiatt is becoming concerned, like many others, about the prospect of more flooding.

“Not as nervous as last year.”

We brought you his story last April. Hiatt's family evacuated after record overland flooding forced them to leave. He stayed to protect his property.

“I still have some sandbags from last year.”

“It came hard and fast for everyone.”

Cass County Emergency Manager Dave Rogness is hoping that won't be the case, but with Mother Nature, anything is possible.

“It could be significant like we had last year.”

Rogness is urging residents to be on guard and prepared. He calls last year a learning lesson. Now that we have a little more time to plan, he's hoping to avoid the surprise and rush rural areas felt.

“We got into realms we hadn't seen before and so we were kind of running by the seat of our pants.”

After battling his first flood, here, in '09, Hiatt is more knowledgeable about the possibilities of how high water could go.

“Once it gets so high it just starts going over roads and it takes a lot of water to move that higher.”

Hiatt plans to put sandbags around his house again. County leaders are recommending smaller communities start preparing, just like larger one have already been doing.

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