Lake Country residents band together to battle rising flood waters

Sandbagging parties have become a familiar sight in Lake Country where dozens of residents have joined forces to fight rising flood waters.

“People are showing up, jumping out of their cars, and if they can’t help they’re dropping off coffee and doughnuts and apples. They’re doing everything they can to help,” Bottom Wood Lake Road resident Tara Schoemaker said.

But for some it’s a lost cause.

The pumps can’t keep up at Pat Fitcher’s place beside Middle Vernon Creek. Her freezer, dressers and other belongings in her basement are now floating in four feet of water. To make matters worse, her insurance company won’t cover the damage.

“Because it’s ground water rising, groundwater is not covered. My sheds are covered because it’s running through my sheds because it’s surface water,” Fitcher said.

Fitcher has applied for disaster relief through the government.

Lake Country officials are not pressing the panic button just yet. But they do have concerns including overloading the city’s sewer system.

“We want to ensure that people are not trying to drain their flood water into the sewage system,” Lake Country Fire Chief Steve Windsor said. “If it overloads it to a certain point, the system will shut down. It won’t just impact the corridor we’re dealing with. It will impact all of Lake Country.”

And with more rain in the forecast, there’s no room for the extra water to go. Windsor said Duck Lake and Wood Lake are at full pool.