VIDEO: Village Administrator gives update on Plover flooding
By Taylor J. Hale
Reporter
PLOVER — Village Administrator Dan Mahoney gave an update on flooding conditions and cleanup at Wednesday’s Village Board. Video footage is below, as well as a point-by-point summary.
SUMMARY
- National Weather Service Issues Areal Flood Warning on March 7, 2019.
- Public Works Department begins to facilitate drainage into swales in known street flooding areas on March 8th.
- Localized flooding/ limited basement flooding begins 3-14-19. Public works begins placing street closing and street flooding signage in affected areas.
- Electric power outage occurs 3-14-19 affecting 1,400 customers in Plover and Whiting
- Police Department volunteers to transfer all Public Works phone calls to PD, as PW are all out handling calls on 3-15-19.
- PD routes all street flooding calls to public works
- PD routes all basement flooding calls to fire department. PD and FD primary focus on dealing with street flooding and limited basement flooding on 3-15-19. Street flooding becomes widespread throughout the Village.
- Wastewater facilities begin dealing with lift station overloads on 3-15, with most significant issues occurring at the Springville lift station
- At midnight on Thursday meltwater from the Shady Drive area breaks loose and inundates Hwy 54, CTH B and the mobile home park.
- Chief Deaver calls the Portage County Emergency Operations Center and requests that they reactivate due to the flooding and need to evacuate residents that are affected by the flooding.
- The Village opens its Community Activities Center as an emergency Shelter
- The Red Cross is contacted and provides assistance to dislocated residents, including the provision of food and water.
- Public Works, Portage County Highway Department, the State Patrol, begin road closures in areas affected by the Shady Drive inundation.
- Vehicles drive through closed off streets that are flooded, causing car failures. PD/FD affect rescues where necessary. Cars abandoned in flood waters.
- The PD, with the assistance of the City of Stevens Point and Portage County Sheriff’s department begins evacuations of mobile home park at about 2:30 a.m. on March 15th. MRAP used for rescue.
- Wastewater Department loses access to WWTF, needs assist from MRAP to get to plant.
- WWTF in imminent danger of plant failure due to overloads of the sewer main by meltwater. Aerators then bypassed to protect bacteria.
- 2nd meltwater surge hits the Village when culverts thaw at I39 adjacent to Del Monte around noon on 3-15. This melt water came from south of CTH B, crossed CTHB, flowed down Water Way, across CTH R, to the culverts by Del Monte. Also, meltwater flowed from the moraine along the north side of the Tomorrow River Trail, and along the railroad spur and joined with the meltwater at the culverts near Del Monte. The Copps/Shopko complex became inundated with meltwater, then began to flow across Hoover Avenue. Hoover Avenue partially closed.
- Due to two meltwater surges, access to the Village from I39 and areas to the east now limited to the I39/CTH HH Interchange.
- The third meltwater surge hits the Village during the evening of 3-15. Meltwater thaws drainage pipes on I39 at Roosevelt Avenue, causing an inundation of the Roosevelt/Breezewood area. Additional street closings occur.
- The Roosevelt inundation lead to possible imminent failure of the Roosevelt lift station. WWTF staffs the lift station 24/7. First one, then a second septage hauler is called to help pump sewage so system does not fail and result in sewerage backups to lift station area residents.
- On 3-16, some progress is made with lift station, and one septic hauler is released. WWTF attempts to discern where influx is coming from, FD provide assistance by surveying property owners on east Breezewood Court.
- Portage County Highway assists with successfully removing an ice dam and snow and ice in I39 ROW (west side, to divert meltwater away from Breezewood and to the I39 swale.
- On 3-19 Village begins receiving additional calls from residents who experienced flood damage. Front office staff obtains names and contact information and informs residents that staff will follow up with them after all life/safety issues have been resolved.
- On 3-19 Portage County EMS advises all people with fold damage to call 211 to report damages they have sustained.
- The 4th meltwater surge occurred in the Arbor Haven Subdivision, primarily at Silver Leaf Court. Various attempts to deal with this meltwater attempted. On 3-20, Village and Town of Plover agree to close Pleasant Drive at east end of Arbor Haven Subdivision and dig trench through gravel road to divert this meltwater surge.
- Next Steps will be to discuss financial assistance with State and County officials to determine what financial assistance is available, and to whom. Staff will then begin contacting property owners.
- PW staff is in the process of repairing potholes and road damage, and documenting all damage and repair costs for submittal for possible reimbursement.
- Village Treasurer has been compiling all financial information related to the flooding, as well as assisting with paperwork that will need to be filled out.
- I’d like to personally thank the staff and management of the Public Works Department, Fire Department, Wastewater Treatment Plant Department, Police Department, Water Department, and Village and Police Department administrative office staff for all their hard work and leadership during this unfortunate event. They were all overworked, but they never let themselves be overwhelmed. I’m very proud of the team effort they displayed, and how calmly and professionally they handled the historic flooding that affected the Village.
- I’d also like to thank all the outside agencies who provided and continue to provide assistance as needed, including Portage County Emergency Services, Highway Department, Sheriff’s Department; Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, American Red Cross, United Way, the City of Stevens Point, Town of Plover, and all the individuals who volunteered their time to fill over 9,000 sand bags. I apologize if I missed any of our community partners on this list.