Clear Lake Flooding Homes, Cottages Again
Lake Is Spring Fed
Posted: 10:37 pm CST November 16, 2008
MILTON, Wis. -- Rain isn't in the forecast for the next few days, but that doesn't calm the fears of flooding for residents along Clear Lake in the Town of Milton.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportClear Lake isn't fed by a stream, but rather by underground springs, WISC-TV reported."Every day, you watch the lake get higher and higher and inch by inch towards our house," said resident Sharon Schrank.Bob and Sharon Schrank are losing a little more of their back yard each day."This has been devastating," said Schrank. "It's my husband's grandparent's home. We try to take really good care of it to let their legacy live on."The Schrank's basement flooded in June. Now, they said that they worry their entire home could be next."We lost literally everything in our basement," she said. "It (basement) had never had a moisture problem before. We are still pumping every two and a half hours."Steven Victor, who owns a summer cottage on Clear Lake, said that his cottage is now surrounded and filled with water.Victor said that he's concerned that when the water turns to ice around his cottage it might break it completely off the foundation.Fran Parker's well water went bad once the flooding started. She said she had never had a problem before now."We wonder when it's going to stop -- when is that lake going to stop coming up?" said Parker.Experts said a winter freeze puts septic systems as risk for rupture, which would contaminate the lake.Many residents who live along Clear Lake said they've turned to just about everyone that they can think of for help, but answers and solutions are in short supply.Pumping the water out has been discussed, but there is the issue of where to take it. The Rock River and Lake Koshkonong are too far away, officials said.There is also the issue of who pays for the cost of pumping and transporting the water."But we band together, we're a strong family, we have a strong faith, we just keep plugging along hoping someone will do something to help us," said Schrank.The Schrank family estimated they've lost at least $30,000 between everything in their basement and repairs from the initial flooding. Included in that cost were two new furnaces that were less than nine months old.On Tuesday night, neighbors will meet with a University of Wisconsin Extension professor about their problem and to discuss potential solutions.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportClear Lake isn't fed by a stream, but rather by underground springs, WISC-TV reported."Every day, you watch the lake get higher and higher and inch by inch towards our house," said resident Sharon Schrank.Bob and Sharon Schrank are losing a little more of their back yard each day."This has been devastating," said Schrank. "It's my husband's grandparent's home. We try to take really good care of it to let their legacy live on."The Schrank's basement flooded in June. Now, they said that they worry their entire home could be next."We lost literally everything in our basement," she said. "It (basement) had never had a moisture problem before. We are still pumping every two and a half hours."Steven Victor, who owns a summer cottage on Clear Lake, said that his cottage is now surrounded and filled with water.Victor said that he's concerned that when the water turns to ice around his cottage it might break it completely off the foundation.Fran Parker's well water went bad once the flooding started. She said she had never had a problem before now."We wonder when it's going to stop -- when is that lake going to stop coming up?" said Parker.Experts said a winter freeze puts septic systems as risk for rupture, which would contaminate the lake.Many residents who live along Clear Lake said they've turned to just about everyone that they can think of for help, but answers and solutions are in short supply.Pumping the water out has been discussed, but there is the issue of where to take it. The Rock River and Lake Koshkonong are too far away, officials said.There is also the issue of who pays for the cost of pumping and transporting the water."But we band together, we're a strong family, we have a strong faith, we just keep plugging along hoping someone will do something to help us," said Schrank.The Schrank family estimated they've lost at least $30,000 between everything in their basement and repairs from the initial flooding. Included in that cost were two new furnaces that were less than nine months old.On Tuesday night, neighbors will meet with a University of Wisconsin Extension professor about their problem and to discuss potential solutions.Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
