While the West Fork continued to rise Wednesday, Humboldt County Emergency Management Coordinator Kyle Bissell believes the early planning and volunteer work are what have protected the community.

“We’ve been planning for this since last Tuesday and Wednesday,” said Bissell. “We went around and marked anticipated water levels on businesses and street signs so that people knew how high to sandbag. The community really came out and volunteers did a great job of preparing for the flood waters.”

Throughout the day Wednesday, officials and volunteers plugged leaks in walls of sandbags and built berms up. A berm around the City Sanitation Shop and recycling area did spring a leak midday on Wednesday. Officials quickly called in five loads of dirt to abate the water.

Multiple roads throughout Humboldt County were also closed on Wednesday as water creeped over them. U.S. Highway 169 through Humboldt remained open Wednesday evening, but according to Bissell the water could come close to the roadway.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Alayna Laubenthal, 12, of Bradgate, and her cousin Bo Laubenthal, 11, of West Bend, help fill sand bags on Wednesday in Bradgate.

“We have a plan and a detour in place if Highway 169 had water on it and it were to close,” said Bissell. “This would have a significant impact on the community, so we have plans in place for triage and satellite hospitals, if this were to happen. But right now, the highway remains open.”

According to Bissell gas service to most homes and businesses in the floodplain was shut off earlier in the week, but all have electricity except for one cabin.

“We want to keep the power on to homes as long as we possibly can,” said Bissell. “If it gets to the point that power needs to be shut off, then we’re looking at potential evacuation scenarios.”

Bissell estimated the Des Moines River to be around 16 feet Wednesday evening with the anticipated crest near 17 feet to happen in the early morning hours on Thursday.

“We continue to ask people to stay at home and away from the flood waters,” said Bissell. “Unless you live in or have important business in Humboldt, please stay away. Thursday’s flooding situation will be very fluid and our emergency workers need to be focused on the flooding and not helping curious onlookers.”