1 Month On, Prior Lake Continues Flood Fight
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Four weeks have passed since heavy rains invaded Watershed Trail in Prior Lake, Minn.
Since then, people who live along the lake have dealt with floodwater that has closed streets, leaving boats as the only way to get into and out of homes.
"Everybody has a boat that they use to pull their groceries in," said resident Julie Anderson.
The water's so deep, mail carriers bring the mail to the waters' edge, and neighbors take turns wading through the murky waters to deliver it.
"Right now it's about just a little short of knee deep," Anderson said.
She says she believes the people of Prior Lake will answer the call to help.
"It's gonna be a mad push. We're thinking 10,000 sandbags," she said.
To push the water back into Prior Lake, block captain Roger Steiner has a plan he hopes will get things back to normal.
"We're going to work on our side and connect up the houses and seal off the bay, and the city's gonna come out tomorrow and put in the concrete barriers on that side of the street, and that will seal this off," Steiner said. "We'll pump it out."
Trapped by water for four weeks, Anderson says the community is growing closer.
"The neighborhood has really come together and we're just really fighting for each other," she said.
It's a fight that begins and ends with neighbor helping neighbor.
"That's kind of the hope going into this project is that together we can get it done," Anderson said.
The call for help went out over social media, and residents answered. Roger Steiner initially thought this would only be a three-day project, but he now thinks it will take a day and a half.
They plan on working until nightfall, and then returning at 8 a.m. Thursday.
