Rob: This summer's storms also brought a weather phenomenon seldom seen in
the heartland of America, a tropical storm in the middle of Oklahoma.
Our final stop takes us to Kingfisher, where this Oklahoma town received
extensive damage after the remains of Hurricane Erin poured over six inches of
rain in just one day.
Here's our Brian Bendele.
Brian: Well Rob, officials here want to resurrect a
twenty-one year old flood control plan.
In fact, after the flood swept through Kingfisher on August 19th, local
officials met with state and federal officials requesting over $200,000
in federal funds to help establish a watershed feasibility study.
Richard Reynolds: From the west, we have Kingfisher Creek.
And when we get water, in what we call the Gyp Hills, and that comes and
comes quickly, then right down here in the northeast part of town, we also have
Uncle John's Creek coming from the east.
Brian: And when those two watersheds meet, and the Cimarron River fills up
after 6 inches of rain in one night, then Kingfisher floods.
And it is something city manager Richard Reynolds doesn't want to see again,
but he knows the remedy could cost as much as $20 million.
Reynolds: If you look at all the money that's been lost, through loss of
revenue, the construction loss we've had, the business loss we've had,
the replacement of people's homes that we've had.
If we had done this a long time ago, $20 million
wouldn't look so big today.
Brian: Over 160 structures were damaged by flood waters, and an estimated
800 residents were displaced after the flood.
And now, 3 months later, a committee has been formed
to promote the watershed plan.
Brian Walter: I have been here 12 years at this location, and this is my
third flood.
Brian: Brian Walters, owner of Walter Building Center, is on the
committee, and says both his facilities experienced 42 inches of flood water.
But nonetheless, he feels if the committee can pass the watershed project,
downtown Kingfisher will be prime real estate.
Walters: I am quite confident that you would be seeing Tulsa, Oklahoma,
and Oklahoma City in the same situation as us, if flood mitigation work had
not been done in their watersheds.
But flood mitigation work has been done for those downtown communities in
their watershed.
Brian: The governor has declared Kingfisher as one-of-seven state
emergency areas, meaning they will share $10-million appropriated
by the legislature.
But more is needed, Senator Mike Johnson.
Senator Mike Johnson: I looks to me like, if we could get a little bit of
help, or quite a bit of help, from the federal government, that they may
be now able to start doing something, put some small dams up, about 13 or 14
upstream, and maybe that will help.
The thrust will be for prevention, try to see what we can do to limit
some of the future floods.
Brian: Something residents can only hold their breath on, especially with every
drop of rain.
Walters: While you know in your heart that it's not going to flood that day,
you know that those kinds of patterns lead to flooding.
So you do.
You kind of sleep with one eye open.
You're always a little bit nervous when you get sustained rain.
Brian: Making Kingfisher a community desperately in need of support,
especially after this Highway 33 bridge is closed down due to massive
erosion and heavy rainfall.