Heavy rains in the last week are causing streams, rivers, and lakes to rise again in Northeast South Dakota.
The National Weather Service at Aberdeen issued a Flood Warning Tuesday evening for the Big Sioux River near Florence until further notice. As of 10 p.m. last evening the flood stage was 8.1 feet. The flood stage is 8.0 feet. At 8.5 feet the water reaches the bottom of the bridge one mile east and one and half miles north of the reporting gauge near Florence northwest of Watertown.
Property owners at Lake Kampeska, Lake Poinsett, and just about everywhere else where heavy rains have fallen recently are scrambling again to protect watercraft, docks, shoreline, and roads. Lake Kampeska has risen more than a foot in recent days after rains in excess of four inches. The continuous precipitation has also softened gravel roads making it difficult for county highway department personnel to maintain the rural highway system.
Charley Waterman is a Codington County Commissioner:
Waterman says the roads are becoming so soft in Codington County that weight restrictions may be needed again.
(KXLG)