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City ready to protect homes and businesses from flooding

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

The water level of the Rock River creeps up to the top of the river wall behind the Hedberg Public Library in downtown Janesville today.

JANESVILLE — The city is preparing for a battle 100 years in the making.

The city has evacuated 14 homes along the Rock River in the Mole-Sadler neighborhood.

Engineers will start work to protect Hedberg Public Library, which is along a part of the river wall officials expect will be breached, City Manager Steve Sheiffer said.

Crews worked overnight Thursday to fill 13,000 sandbags for residents’ use. And the city will open a Flooding Information Center and hot line for residents’ questions.

That information and more was passed on to city council members at an emergency meeting Thursday night.

The Rock River is now expected to crest at 13.9 feet in Afton on Tuesday. It is expected to stay at 13.9 feet until Friday, June 20.

Sheiffer called the predicted crest an “unprecedented” 100-year flood. Herb Garner, a meteorologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, previously told The Janesville Gazette that a “100 year flood” is one that could statistically happen once every 100 years.

Evacuations

City crews knocked on doors in the 1700 through 2000 blocks of Joseph Street and the 1100 block of Hamilton Street around 3 p.m. Thursday.

Of the 18 households in the subdivision, 14 had evacuated by this morning, said Jay Winzenz, the city’s director of administrative services. Member of about four households refused to leave.

“We’re going to have to make a decision at some point today on disconnecting utilities on those homes because water and utilities don’t mix very well,” he said.

The Red Cross established a shelter at St. John Lutheran Church, 302 N. Parker Dr., Janesville, for those displaced by flooding. As of 8 a.m. today, no one had reported to the shelter.

ECHO relocated one family before the evacuations, Winzenz said. The rest must have found shelter with family or friends, he said.

The city also plans to evacuate three to five houses near Adams Roofing, 411 N. Main St., sometime today, Sheiffer said this morning.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office was notifying residents of the Mallwood Estates along the Rock River south of Lake Koshkonong about possible evacuations this morning, Sgt. Steve Selby said.

Information center

The city has created an information center to help residents determine when or if their homes will be flooded. Sheiffer encourages residents to come to the Municipal Building, 18 N. Jackson St., where engineers will be on hand to explain flood plain maps.

Residents may also call (608) 373-6000 for information.

The center and the hot line will be staffed during normal business hours Monday through Friday. They will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

The city will expand the hours if necessary, Sheiffer said.

A bit of good news, Sheiffer said, is that the city’s flood plain maps were updated and federally approved in the last few days.

Library threatened

The city has called a former staff engineer to help protect Hedberg Public Library, 316 S. Main St.

“We’ve got a significant problem at the library,” Sheiffer said.

The river wall is lower behind the library than in other places, Sheiffer said, and the library is only 6 inches higher than the wall, he said.

The city will consider creating an earthen berm or building a wall of sandbags, Sheiffer said.

He said the city does not consider the Marshall Apartments building, 408 S. Main St., in danger. Nor does the city expect the river to go over the western wall across from the library.

Sandbags

Crews were to work overnight to fill 13,000 sandbags. It takes 1,000 bags to make a wall 18 inches high and 300 feet long, Sheiffer said.

Bags are available for no cost at the City Services Center, Rockport Pool, the City Transit Center, the Janesville Ice Arena and the Wall Street parking lot east of Parker Drive.

The city hopes residents will take a “neighbors helping neighbors” attitude and help people who don’t have transportation to access sandbags.

Other places to watch

The city expects flooding on Colby Lane near Wright Road and Ruger Avenue. Other flooding not related to the river will be handled as it crops up, Sheiffer said.

Officials have contacted about 30 downtown businesses to help them prepare for river flooding, including Van Galder Bus, Degussa Chemical and Marling Lumber.

A worker scurrying around the Centerway Dam this morning said that water backed up in the spillway west of the dam was about 7 feet above its normal level. All the dam gates are wide open, he said, but debris was blocking a gate at another dam in Beloit operated by North American Hydro.

“If I don’t get that opened soon, it’s gonna get higher here,” he said as he loaded his pickup truck.

The city is monitoring the wastewater treatment plant south of the city and has had no problems yet, Sheiffer said. Crews have built sandbag walls around wellheads and anticipate no problems there, either, he said.

Forecast

Fortunately, forecasters aren’t expecting much more rain this weekend. The National Weather Service predicts a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms today, a 30 percent chance Saturday and a 40 percent chance Sunday.

The greatest chance for thunderstorms will come Saturday night, with a 50/50 chance it will storm, said Greg Davis with the National Weather Service.

Davis predicted partly sunny skies Monday through Thursday.

Stacy Vogel, Mike DuPre’ and Ryan Dostalek contributed to this story.

NOT A PLACE TO PLAY

The state Department of Health and Family Services notes that floodwaters are a threat to children.

“Floodwaters have unseen hazards such as debris, chemical and sewage contamination, and strong current,” according to a news release.

Some tips:

-- Don’t let children play in or near floodwater, or in areas that have been recently flooded.

-- Wash you child’s hands frequently, especially before meals.

-- Disinfect toys that may be contaminated, using a solution of one cup of bleach in one gallon of water.

-- Discard any soft toys that might be contaminated with sewage. Young children might put these items into their mouths.

For more information go online to http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov.

FLOODING IMPACTS

Thursday’s storms dropped more rain on already saturated ground across the area. A flood warning continues for much of the area until the middle of next week.

The predicted Rock River crest has been raised to 13.9 feet in Afton on Tuesday. It is expected to stay at 13.9 feet until Friday, June 20.

River Levels

The river gauge levels around the county reported this morning by the Rock County Sheriff’s Department include:

-- Rock River in Afton: Water level was 11.9 feet and rising. Flood stage is 9 feet.

-- Rock River in Newville: 12.05 feet and rising. Flood stage is 10 feet.

-- Rock River in Indianford: 15.59 feet and rising. Flood stage is 15 feet.

-- Sugar River in Avon Township: 6.58 feet and falling. Flood stage is 5 feet.

Road Closures

The Rock County Sheriff’s Department, city of Janesville and state Department of Transportation report these roads closed:

Janesville:

-- North Riverside Park Road.

-- North Loop Road at Traxler Park.

-- 400 block of North Main Street.

-- 1700-2000 blocks of Charles Street.

-- 1700-2000 blocks of Joseph Street.

-- 1100 block of Hamilton Avenue.

-- 1100-1200 blocks of Elgin Avenue.

-- 3600 Block of South River Road.

-- City officials also are monitoring the westbound lanes of Centerway at Main Street.

Rock County:

-- Smith Road from Avon Store Road to County T.

-- Beloit Newark Road from Nelson Road to County T.

-- Washington Road from Hartzel Road to Stebbinsville Road.

-- Hopkins Road from Douglas Road to Beloit Newark Road.

-- Christensen Road.

-- Happy Hollow and Sugar River Parks.

-- South Jones Road and South Cemetery Road in Emerald Grove.

-- A portion of eastbound Highway 14 in Emerald Grove is flooded but remained open this morning. High water warning signs have been erected.

Around Wisconsin:

-- Interstate 90/94 from Mauston south to Highway 151 in Madison.

-- Interstate 94 from Highway 26 to Highway 89 between Lake Mills and Johnson Creek.

-- Interstate 39 from Highway 82 to Highway 78.

Jefferson County

Jefferson County road closure information is available by calling (920) 674-8648. More flooding-related information is available at www.co.jefferson.wi.us.