Rain Deluges Area

RISING WATER FLOODS HOMES, CAUSES ROAD CLOSINGS, RESCUE CALLS

FARMINGTON — Steve Ballard of Rosebay Lane in Farmington was completely surprised when his house flooded Saturday night from downpours that had continued throughout the day into the evening.

He’s only lived on Rosebay Lane in Meadow Sweet Subdivision off Garland McKee Road for two years. Others who live on Rosebay were not surprised. They’ve been through floods before.

About nine houses on the south side of the street flooded Saturday.

“This was the biggest surprise,” Ballard said as he rested a bit while friends and family pulled everything out of his house Sunday and hauled it away in trucks and trailers.

“Everything on the floor has to come out,” Ballard said. “It hit so hard and so fast.”

About 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the water was up to mid-tire level on his son’s large truck. Ballard said he wasn’t concerned and went back inside. About 7 p.m.

he opened the front door and the water was coming into the house.

Water from the mountainside on the other side of Garland McKee Road and a creek coming down the hill rushed across the road and flowed down Rosebay. Residents said Rosebay looked like a river with floating debris and logs. Debris could be seen piled up Sunday afternoon. Many vehicles were stuck because of debris.

Ballard said he called 911, but emergency crews were not able to get to the neighborhood because of flooding. He and his family stayed with relatives for the rest of the night.

Most of the residents on the street remained in their homes Saturday night.

Lawson Osburn of 11059 Rosebay Lane has lived in his home for nine years and was flooded twice in 2011. The city has completed drainage improvements in the area and that has helped, Osburn said.

He had planned to leave Sunday for a vacation camping trip at the beach. Instead, Osburn was cleaning up his house Sunday and said he probably would be staying in the camper at home.

Water was two feet high on his garage door, he said.

Jim and Nancy Harris, who live toward the end of the street at 11035 Rosebay, have replaced all floors in their house with tile because of flooding in the past. Saturday was their fourth flood.

“We saw it coming fast down the street. All at once it comes up here. It was like a whirlpool,” said Jim Harris. He estimated his loss was in the thousands of dollars.

Russell Peace of 11047 Rosebay Lane bought flood insurance after his house was flooded in 2011. He said he considered dropping it after the city completed drainage improvements — but now is glad he didn’t. He said water started coming into his house about 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

“This is the most we’ve seen flooded on the street,” Peace said.

Farmington Fire Department Capt. Chaz Birdsong said Assistant Chief Willie Watts coordinated efforts from the Farmington station with Washington County Urban Rescue and Washington County Emergency Management.

Birdsong said he and others tried multiple ways to get to Rosebay Lane but couldn’t because of flooded streets. His recommendation for the residents was to stay sheltered in their own homes.

Fire Chief Mark Cunningham said firefighters, police and rescue teams made multiple rescues.

Rescues included three people who were washed away in a truck. They climbed trees and were able to be rescued.

“This is the worst flood I think I can remember as far as rescues,” Cunningham said. Most of the rescues were people stranded in their vehicles. A few were to help people with homes flooded by three to four feet of water.

Prairie Grove Police Chief Chris Workman said the department closed the Illinois River Bridge on U.S. Highway 62 for about two hours Saturday night, starting at 9 p.m., because the flooded river was going over the bridge.

Most Prairie Grove streets were flooded and city crews barricaded streets throughout the city.

“It pretty much was a mess everywhere,” Workman said.

Rhonda Hulse with the city of Lincoln said Jackson Highway was the hardest hit because of Lincoln Lake. The city closed Jackson Highway on both ends of the lake because water was flowing over the road.

City crews were going around Monday to assess the damage and look for areas that would need to be repaired, Hulse said.

“We saw [water] coming fast down the street. All at once it comes up here. It was like a whirlpool.” Jim Harris Rosebay Lane resident Farmington

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington Street Department closed Hunter Street at Creekside Park on Saturday. The creek was running outside its bed and across the road. This was about 2:20 p.m. Saturday, before another hard rain hit later in the day.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Family members, friends and neighbors on Sunday help take everything out of the flooded house at 11095 Rosebay Lane in Meadow Sweet subdivision in Farmington. About nine houses on the south side of the street flooded from Saturday’s rain.

COURTESY PHOTO Double Springs Road was closed Saturday because of flooding. This shows the creek overflowing across the road at the Double Springs/Goose Creek intersection.

COURTESY PHOTO The end of Rosebay Lane looking up the street toward Garland McKee Road is pictured here. Almost all houses on the south side of the street flooded Saturday and Rosebay Lane was described as a river filled with logs and debris.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER The creek at Creekside Park in Farmington looked like a roaring river Saturday. This is the concrete crossing. According to the National Weather Service, western Washington County received 8-9 inches of rain Friday and Saturday.