Homes near Clear Lake keep fighting the floods

Jun. 19--MILTON -- Bob Schrank has lived on the same piece of land near Clear Lake in Milton for most of his life.

Thanks to this year's heavy rains and snowmelt, he soon might have to build a new house.

The 62-year-old teacher is the fourth generation to live on his family's farmstead. His son and grandson, the fifth and sixth generations, also live there.

But with the persistent flooding, Schrank said the historic house soon could be reduced to a pile of wet rubble. He estimates his family has a 50-50 chance of losing it.

They're certain they will lose numerous trees, two outhouses and possibly the garage, which stands in place of the old barn.

"It's always in the back of your mind about what's going to happen next," Schrank said. "The last thing we want to do is have to evacuate the house and burn it or tear it down, but if we have to do it, we have to do it."

Flooding is nothing new for those who live near Clear Lake.

Rain and runoff were believed to be major factors in flooding that occurred from 2008 to 2011, but researchers couldn't nail down an exact reason for the high water. After a drought in 2012, the water mostly receded.

A heavy-duty drain system has operated in the Schrank house since the last major flood 10 years ago, but this situation is much worse, Bob Schrank said.

The family has installed a berm to keep the recent floodwaters at bay. After that, they don't have other options.

"We can't really do any more," Schrank said. "The berm is essentially our last effort. If it gets too high for that, we're sunk."

This type of flooding is especially difficult to manage because unlike a river, lake water doesn't ebb and flow.

Colin Byrnes, Rock County director of planning and development, said getting flood insurance can be difficult because the Federal Emergency Management Agency--or FEMA--doesn't identify any floodplains near the lake.

But flooding is a real issue for those who live there, Byrnes said.

"Over time, we've had these rainy periods, and the groundwater and runoff is filling these water bodies," he said. "It's a low spot, and the bathtub is getting full."

Down the road from the Schranks, Donna Anderson has lived near the lake for 46 years. She said her property experienced minor flooding from 2008 to 2011, but nothing like this.

Her basement flooded earlier this spring, and other buildings in the back of the property are partially under water. Still, Anderson said she's lucky compared to the damage others have suffered.

"Last time it flooded, it wasn't anything near this. This is the worst flood we've had," she said.

Nearby Blackhawk Campground has seen similar problems. The beach is under water and closed, employees say, and numerous campers have standing water creeping toward their doors.

In a statement, the campground said it is working with local agencies to address flooding and has installed a new access road to keep campers safe after water overtook the old road.

Recovering from the flooding will take a while. Ten years ago, it took four to five years for water levels near the Schrank home to return to normal.

Considering that this year is worse than usual, all residents can do now is hope for the best, Schrank said.

"The helpless feeling that we've done everything we can do is the hardest part. The worry, the concern--it's hard," he said.

"But it is what it is, and we will try to just keep plugging along."

___

(c)2019 The Janesville Gazette (Janesville, Wis.)

Visit The Janesville Gazette (Janesville, Wis.) at www.gazetteextra.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.