Worst yet to come for residents along Tippecanoe River

By Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)

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Anthony Burton wades to his house near Winamac on the Tippecanoe River

Anthony Burton wades to his house near Winamac on the Tippecanoe River, Wednesday, March 11, 2009. The river is expected to rise another two feet before it crests. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Mar 11, 2009 at 6:00 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 11, 2009 at 6:00 PM EST

WINAMAC — People along the Tippecanoe River are bracing for some of the worst flooding they've ever seen. Dozens of homes are already underwater; some for the third time in just over a year.

The National Weather Service says the river in Winamac is rising higher than they expected because of all the rain we saw Tuesday night.

Wednesday evening the river was 3.5 feet above flood stage. Some of the buildings in the city park are completely underwater, and it's still expected to rise another two feet by Saturday.

It could break a record for the worst flooding the area has ever seen.

For now, Anthony Burton can still wade into his house near Winamac on the Tippecanoe River.

"Yesterday at this time the river was on the other side of the house,” he told WSBT News.

By Saturday, he'll have to canoe.

"At 15.4 [feet] the water's going to be on this side over here,” he said.

The river is expected to crest at a record 15.4 feet — nearly 5.5 feet above flood stage.

"I just hope it doesn't get any higher than that,” he said.

So does Robert Richardson. His father and brother live on the other side.

"You can't get to it unless you go by boat or kayak,” he said.

All down the Tippecanoe, dozens of homes are underwater and for each one of them, it’s all too familiar.

“We didn't think it would get this high again,” Richardson said.

Just last year, the same river flooded twice, and nearly as bad.

Richardson lost his home, and after a year of red tape, he's still in temporary housing waiting to rebuild.

“We're hoping by June, maybe by June,” he said, “but the house will be above flood level which is 8 feet.”

It’s a tough lesson from Mother Nature; but one no one around here will forget anytime soon.

“Thirty years we've been down here and it's never gotten this bad,” Richardson said. “So it's terrible.”

The flood stage is 10 feet and by Wednesday evening the river was already at 13.5 feet. The National Weather Service expects it to crest at 15.5 feet by Saturday.

If you are stranded, call your local police or fire department. They've already rescued several people by boat since Tuesday night.

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