County, cities aware of flooding threats

By Steve Sharp
steves@wdtimes.com

JEFFERSON -- With the large amount of snow that has been falling in Dodge and Jefferson counties -- and especially to the north -- area community leaders are keeping a watchful eye on rivers for possible eventual flooding this spring and say they learned many lessons in the devastating 500-year-flood of 2008.

Jefferson County Emergency Management Director Donna Haugom told the Daily Times a combination of things contributed to the flood of 2008, and while those factors are not in existence this year, others that could cause flooding may be.

"We had an above average amount of rain in the spring of 2007. We had an above normal snowfall the winter of 2007-2008 and we had an above average amount of rain in the spring of 2008. These facts made up the flood in 2008," she said.

The concerns in the spring of 2018, according to the National Weather Service at Sullivan, include the tremendous amount of snowfall received in the upper Rock River watershed and the abrupt warming trend.

Haugom said, however, there was not an above average amount of rainfall in 2017 and the winter of 2017-18 has been mild for Jefferson County.

"But the snow north of here will be the factor we will need to monitor," she said. "The water levels are fairly low and the ground is not saturated." As of today, the Rock River was looking to stay below flood stage at least through this week. This is due to temperatures being below normal for the next few days, with lows below freezing. The Rock River, along with most others such as the Crawfish and Bark, will start to rise this weekend due to melting snow.

"As we get into later April, we will have to watch closely for any more sudden warm-ups, because that would create a greater flooding risk," Haugom said.
Emergency management coordinators around Jefferson County said they got a crash course in how to deal with floods in their trial-by-fire experience in 2008.

"I have been in contact with municipalities within Jefferson County helping to provide information on how they can be prepared by having sandbags and sand available if necessary," Haugom said. "But I need to get better information out in a better way to people that are affected."

Jefferson City Administrator Tim Freitag said much of his city's former infrastructure was too close to the Rock River and the 2008 flood taught him and fellow city officials that things like wastewater treatment facilities and other such plants must be better protected from floodwaters. Freitag also said several homes that were in the floodplains in the city have been torn down and turned into green space. The city is also concentrating its industry in its north industrial park, a change from the days when it was located almost exclusively downtown along the Rock River.

Haugom and Freitag both said they believe area municipalities would be better able, in 2018 and beyond, to respond to flooding when compared to how they were sucker-punched by the 2008 disaster.

"While I thought the county and municipalities worked very well in 2008, there were certainly some lessons learned," Haugom said. "I believe with that experience, we would be ready to assist the municipalities and residents that may be affected by another high-water event."

Freitag and Haugom both said the city of Jefferson's state Highway 26 bypass is a major feature that would allow Jefferson residents -- some of them crippled in terms of transportation in the flood of 2008 -- to at least be able to navigate in their lives during high water. The removal of buildings from floodplains has taken place along with the addition of drainage and holding ponds in the past decade.

"The bypass will help in response times and for people to gain better access to resources they may need," Haugom said.

"We are so much better off now," Freitag said of the addition of the bypass.
Haugom stressed Jefferson County, as a whole, has participated in an acquisition and demolition program of properties that are located within the floodplain and has actively pursued relocating people out of the floodplain.
"This has been completed to keep people out of harm's way in their lives and property in the event of another flooding event," she said. "We acquire the structures and demolish them. The property is left as open space. We have acquired more than 125 properties in approximately 24 years. These acquisitions are possible with grant funding from state and federal programs."

Haugom is in constant contact with the hydrologist from the National Weather Service, getting information to become more aware of any flooding concerns. She also monitors the water levels of the rivers within the county.
Haugom said she feels the municipalities and the residents within Jefferson County learned a great deal from 2008 and are better prepared to handle any possibility of future flooding issues.

"There were multiple municipalities affected by the 2008 flood and I believe each one proved to have an effective response and recovery that will carry over if another event should occur," she said.

"We are ever-watchful of the water levels on the Rock and Crawfish rivers, and how they are affected by the rain and snow melt in spring. It's a 'what-if' type of situation. I certainly hope we are not in for another flood," Freitag said. "It's always a scary unknown."