REEDY HAS MAJOR FLOODING - Water "Did Everything Backwards"

(09/03/2003)

Water was knee deep in Reedy Grocery (Photo by Bill Ward)

"Most unusual flood today. It did everything backwards," said Robert Bauer of the Reedy Volunteer Fire Department. "Today's flood and the 2000 flood are the worst floods we've had in recent years," he said.

The pattern of flooding may have changed because numerous structures have been removed and the terrain is different, following a flood mitigation project.

The fire department used boats to take the owners of the Reedy Grocery to their flooding store, where water was knee deep. "They worked hard to get the merchandise up," Bauer said.

Water flooded the Reedy fire station. Bauer and other volunteers were cleaning the fire house at 10 p.m. last night. "We did get the trucks out," he said, but it was a rush because the water came up quickly. The station, which was erected a few years ago, was built-up on a mound to prevent flooding.

Bauer said the water has been going down very slowly, with nearly 18" still covering Main Street last night. Two vehicles attempted to go through the high water and flooded out. "They're still sitting there and are pretty much totaled," he said.

Water rushes under the Blue Goose bridge three miles
west of Reedy on State Route 14 (Photo by Bill Ward)

Reedy was once a vital town. While it has faded, it is still incorporated. The town has been situated for flooding since it first sprung into existence in the 1800s. Recently, a flood mitigation project has removed a large number of structures and houses after a buy-out, leaving little behind in the corporation.

"It still took another hard hit today," concluded Bauer.