BLOOMER, Wis. (WEAU)-- It’s been 27 years since Highway 40 heading into Bloomer has seen high flood waters over the roads.
“This is a very remarkable thing. I have never seen it go up to the Dairy Queen before and I have lived here my entire life,” Sarah Chojnacki said as she looked at the water in the street.
The lead for the Bloomer Street Department says flooding on Duncan Creek and Lake Como is common, but the flooding Thursday is the most the area has had since 1988.
“I don't think it’s going to cause a problem as long as people don't drive over top of the road and it washes out,” David Lambert, lead for the street department explained.
Lambert said the city opened up the dam at around 10 o'clock Thursday morning. Since then, the banks of Duncan creek have been slowly rising around town.
Behind Bloomer High School, a small lake is forming. The water is covering up the practice football field, a baseball field and the old playground for elementary school.
That's water that two Bloomer High school students took advantage of after school today.
“We were talking and kind of thought it would be fun to try and take out a kayak for the fun of it. Try something different. It’s not something you get to do every day,” Bloomer High School junior Dirk Bruxvoort said.
“The water is not too deep but its deep enough that you can kayak and not touch the bottom so its six inches in some parts,” student Joe LaBudde said after he finished paddling around the flooded playground.
The City of Bloomer is warning people to stay away from flooded areas as waters can contain a higher amount of bacteria.
Also as a rule of thumb if you see flooded roads the city reminds drivers to turn around, don’t drown.
There are a few homes along Highway 40 that do have flooding in their yards. One of the homeowners WEAU 13 News spoke said he was only seeing a small amount of water coming in the cracks in the floor of his basement.
Highway 40 re-opened early Friday morning.
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BLOOMER, Wis. (WEAU)--Heavy rain Thursday caused flash flooding in western Wisconsin, especially in the Bloomer area.
The Bloomer Streets Department says the last time the water was this high was in 1988.
Highway 40 in Bloomer has been shut down because it is filled with water. Traffic is being detoured.
There's also extensive flooding behind the high school, and at the old elementary school playground.
