City of Sioux Falls Building Special Flood Barrier for Residents
The potential for flooding has been the top concern for Sioux Falls for several days now. This comes just days after serious flooding caught everyone by surprise on Thursday March 14.
Here's a look at how deep the water was in Tuthill Park just off Cliff Avenue next to my home. You can judge how deep it was by looking at how much of the picnic shelter is above water.
There was no time to prepare for this one because it came up so quick and nobody really saw it coming. This time, however, what's coming is in plain sight and there's been time to prepare.
With the massive snow melt taking place upstream, the runoff is expected to cause the Sioux River to crest higher than ever Sunday and Monday (3/24 and 3/25).
There's one neighborhood that's getting major preparation. The last flood caused evacuation by boats for many residents. This time the city is building a special temporary barrier to protect those homes.
This barrier will be 2,100 feet long and it involves 800 tons of sand. It’s called the Trap Bag system. The work is underway near Philips Avenue and Twin Oaks Road just south of Tomar Park and the Big Sioux River.
You can also see massive barrier work underway from South Minnesota to the East along the South side of the river.