.
%WHILE PEOPLE
WAIT
FOR
OFFICIALS%AT THE STATE
AND
FEDERAL
LEVEL
%TO
ACT
ON
CLIMATE
CHANGE,
IT'S
%THE
PEOPLE AT
THE
LOCAL
LEVEL
%WHO ARE
LEFT TO
DEAL
WITH
THE
%REALITY ON THE
GROUND AND
THE
%WATER IN
THEIR
BASEMENTS.
%"HERE AND
NOW"
REPORTER ZAC%SCHULTZ
TRAVELED
TO
SAWYER
%COUNTY
AND THE CITY OF
HAYWARD
%FOR THIS REPORT.
%>>
THE
VACATION TOWN OF
HAYWARD
%IN
SAWYER
COUNTY
IS
BUILT
ON
%WATER, BOTH
FIGURATIVELY AND
%LITERALLY.%>>
SO
HAYWARD
IS
BUILT ON
A
%SWAMP,
A
CATACOMB
OF
UNDERGROUND
%RIVERS.%>>
PAT
SANCHEZ
IS
THE
EMERGENCY
%MANAGER
FOR
SAWYER
COUNTY.
%SHE SAYS
THE
COUNCIL
SEE
IS
ALSO
%PRETTY
FLAT,
SO
TORRENTIAL
RAIN
%EVENTS LIKE THEY
HAD
IN
2014
AND
%'16 WILL LEAD
TO
HEAVY
FLOODING.%>> WE
HAVE A
LOT
OF
RIVERS, A
%LOT OF
STREAMS, A LOT
OF
LAKES,
%AND
WHEN
WE
GET
HEAVY
DOWNPOUR
%LIKE WE'VE
HAD IN
THE
PAST
%YEARS,
THERE'S
NOT
ANYWHERE FOR
%THAT WATER TO
GO.
%>>
I
DID
HAVE
CARPETING
DOWN
%HERE, BUT
THAT
ALL
ROTTED.%>>
SANDY
OKAMOTO
FEELS
LIKE
MOST%OF
THE
WATER
IN
SAWYER
COUNTY
%COMES
THROUGH HER
BASEMENT.%>>
BECAUSE
THIS
WHOLE
AREA
%FLOODS, AND IT
COMES
IN
%EVERYWHERE.%>> SHE SAYS
AFTER HEAVY
RAINS,
%THE
GROUNDWATER SPRAYS
INTO
THE
%BASEMENT IN HER
HOUSE
AND
HER
%RENTAL PROPERTY NEXT
DOOR.%>>
IT'S
LIKE
SOMEONE IS
STANDING
%WITH
A
SQUIRT
GUN
BEHIND THE
%WALLS
AND
JUST --
IT
COMES
%THROUGH
EVERYWHERE.
%>>
WHEN
THE
FORECAST
CALLS
FOR
%HEAVY
RAINS,
SANDY
CAN'T
SLEEP.
%>>
VERY
OVERWHELMING.
%AND ALL I
DO
IS
RUN BACK
AND
%FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO
HOUSES
AND
%MOVE
PUMPS
AND
MOVE
HOSES.%>>
BUT
SANDY
SAYS
IT
WASN'T
LIKE
%THIS WHEN
SHE
BOUGHT THESE
%HOUSES.
%THIS CREEK
AND
NEIGHBORING%SHUE'S POND WOULD
OCCASIONALLY%DRY UP.
%>>
LIKE
I
SAY,
THERE
WASN'T
EVEN
%WATER
IN
THIS
CREEK.
%I
MOWED.
%IT WAS
BONE
DRY.
%I
MOWED
ACROSS
IT.
%>>
THE
WATER LEVEL
IN
PLACES
%AROUND
SAWYER
COUNTY
IS
JUST
%HIGHER
THAN
IT'S
EVER
BEEN.%>>
IT'S
KIND OF AT
THE
BOTTOM OF
%THE
DRAINAGE SYSTEM SO
IT
HAS
%NOWHERE TO
GO
FROM
HERE.%>>
DON
HAMBLIN
IS
BOTH
THE
FIRE
%CHIEF
AND
PUBLIC
WORKS
DIRECTOR
%FOR THE
TOWN
OF
HAYWARD SO
HE'S
%BEEN
MONITORING THIS
ROAD
.
%>>
THERE'S
DEFINITELY
STRUCTURAL
%ISSUES THAT HAVE
TO
BE
%ADDRESSED.%>> WHEN
THE WATER
RECEDES,
HE
%CAN FIX
THE
ROAD BUT
THE
BIG
%QUESTION
IS,
HOW
SOON
WILL
HE
%HAVE TO
DO
IT
AGAIN?%>>
ARE
WE
GOING
TO
BE
ADDRESSING%THESE
PROBLEMS
CONTINUALLY
FOR
%THE
NEXT
20, 50
YEARS?%>>
THE 2014
AND
'16 FLOODS IN
%SAWYER
COUNTY
WERE
BOTH
CLOSE
T
O
%BEING
LABELED
AS
100-YEAR
%FLOODS.
%COUNTIES
IN
NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN
%HAVE DEALT
WITH
REPEATED
100,%500
AND
EVEN
THOUSAND-YEAR FLOOD%EVENTS IN JUS
T
THE
PAST
FEW
%YEARS.
%WASHING AWAY
ROADS,
FLOODING
%HOMES, AND
MAKING
EVERYONE
%CONSIDER WHETHER
THIS
IS THE
NEW
%NORMAL
.
%>>
WE'RE
NOT
LOOKING AT
THE
%PROBLEM IN
THE
BIG
PICTURE,
%WE'RE JUST
SAYING
HOW
CAN
WE
GET
%IT
BACK
TO
FUNCTIONING
STATUS.%>>
HE'S
MEETING
WITH
LOCAL
%OFFICIALS AROUND
SAWYER COUNTY
%TO TALK ABOUT
APPLYING
FOR
%FEDERAL GRANTS TO
PREPARE FOR
%EMERGENCIES.%>>
PREPAREDNESS
LEVELS
VARY
%WIDELY
ACROSS
THE
REGION.
%SOME COMMUNITIES ARE
CERTAINLY
%MORE PREPARED THAN
OTHERS.%>>
HE
DOESN'T
HESITATE WHEN
%ASKED ABOUT
THE
NEXT
TIME
THIS
%AREA
SEES
A
500-YEAR FLOOD
%EVENT.%>>
NEXT
YEAR,
YEP.
%WE'RE
EXPERIENCING THESE EVENT
%SO
OFTEN AT
SUCH
A
GREAT
%MAGNITUDE THAT WE'LL
HAVE
NO
%CHOICE AT
SOME POINT BUT
TO
%ALLOCATE
RESOURCES
TO
TRY
AND
%ADDRESS
IT.
%>>
TO
HELP
COMMUNITIES
PREPARE,
%THEY
CREATED
THE
NORTHWEST%WISCONSIN
FLOOD
IMPACT
STUDY,
%WHICH
SHOWS
WHICH
ROADS
AND
%HOUSES WOULD
BE
UNDERWATER
%DURING 100
OR
500-YEAR
FLOOD
%EVENTS.
%A
500-YEAR
FLOOD IN
SAWYER
%COUNTY
WOULD
CAUSE
NEARLY%$12 MILLION IN DAMAGES TO
%BUILDINGS AND
SEE
50 MILES
OF
%ROADS
CLOSED.
%WE OVERLAID THE
STUDIES
%INTERACTIVE MAP
VIEWER
ON
%DOWNTOWN
HAYWARD
TO
SHOW
JUST
%HOW MUCH WOULD
BE
UNDER
WATER.%>>
WHEN I
SAW
THAT
STUDY,
I
JUST
%SAID
I
HOPE
I
RETIRE
BEFORE
THE
%HUNDRED YEAR AND
THE 500
YEAR
%FLOODS.%>>
PAT
SANCHEZ
WOULD
BE
IN
%CHARGE
OF
MANAGING
A
FLOOD
%EMERGENCY, AND WHEN SHE
READ
THE
%STUDY, SHE MADE A
PHONE
CALL.
%>>
I
ORDERED 10,000
BAGS
AND
HAD
%THEM
DELIVERED
AND
THEN
I
%PRESTAGED
THEM NORTH AND
SOUTH.%>>
SO
FAR,
SHE
HASN'T
NEEDED
%THEM.%>>
LUCKILY
IT
DIDN'T
HAPPEN.
%I'M STILL
KNOCKING
ON
WOOD
%BECAUSE WE'RE
NOT OVER
THE
%SEASON YET.
%>>
BUT
SANDBAGS
ARE
A STOP-GAP
%SOLUTION, NOT
A LONG
TERM
PLAN.%>>
WE
CAN
START
LOOKING
AT,
YOU
%KNOW, DO
WE
NEED
BIGGER
%CULVERTS, DO
WE
NEEDLESS
%PAVEMENT?%>> EVERY TIME
WE
REDO
A
ROAD
%PROJECT, WE TRY
TO
IMPROVE
%DRAINAGE.%>>
DON
HAMBLIN SAYS
AFTER
THE
%LAST TWO
FLOODS,
THE TOWN OF
%HAYWARD
STARTED
RE-THINKING
%THEIR
APPROACH
TO
ROAD
BUILDING.%>> WE'VE KIND
OF
PRIORITIZED
%SOME OF OUR
PROJECTS
BASED
ON
%WATER
FLOW.%>>
HAMBLIN
SAYS
INSTEAD OF
JUST
%REPAVING THIS
ROAD,
THEY
DECIDED
%TO
RAISE
IT
UP
SO
WATER
COULD
%DRAIN
OFF
.%>>
WE'VE
ADDED
ANYWHERE
BETWEEN
%4 AND
10 INCHES OF
GRAVEL
IN
%SOME PLACES
TO
GET
BETTER
%DRAINAGE
AND
IMPROVE
SOME OF
THE
%STRUCTURE UNDER
THE
ROAD.
%>>
THESE
PROJECTS
CAN
GET
%EXPENSIVE.
%IT
WILL
COST $345,000
TO
REPLACE
%THE
UNDERSIZED
CULVERT
THAT
%CARRIES SMITH
CREEK
UNDER
%HIGHWAY 63 IN
HAYWARD.
%THE CITY
OF
HAYWARD
IS
TELLING
%RESIDENTS
LIKE
SANDY
OKAMOTO
%THEY'RE
WAITING
FOR
THE
STATE
TO
%PAY.
%>>
I
KNOW THEY'RE
WAITING
FOR
%THE
DOT
TO
GIVE
THEM
A
BIG
CHUNK
%OF
MONEY
TO
DO
SOMETHING
%UNDERNEATH
HIGHWAY
63 AND
THEY
%SAY
THERE'S
NO POINT
IN
FIXING
%ANYTHING
THIS
SIDE
OF
HIGHWAY
63 BECAUSE
THEN
THE
HOMES
%DOWNSTREAM
WOULD
FLOOD.%>>
THE DEPARTMENT OF
%TRANSPORTATION
ISN'T
SCHEDULED
%TO
START
WORK
UNTIL 2023.
%SHE CAN'T
IMAGINE
WAITING
UNTIL
%THEN.%>>
IT'S
JUST
NO
WAY
T
O
LIVE.%>>
I'VE
JUST
BEEN
TOLD
THERE'S
%NO
MONEY,
THERE'S
NO
MONEY,
%THERE'S
NO
MONEY.
%WE'VE
TALKED
TO
OUR
POLITICAL
%ENTITIES
AND
THEY
KEEP
SAYING%WRITE GRANTS.
%WELL, WE
NOW
HOW
COMPETITIVE
%GRANTS ARE
NOW
DAYS.%>>
AND
I
SUSPECT
BECAUSE OF THE
%THINGS THAT WE'VE
EXPERIENCED IN%THE
LAST FIVE
YEARS,
NAMELY
THE
%FLOODING
ISSUE --%>> FIVE
YEARS
AGO,
FLOODING
%WASN'T
EVEN
LISTED AS
A
CONCERN
%ON
SAWYER
COUNTY'S
HAZARD
%MITIGATION PLAN GRANT
%APPLICATION.
%NOW
IT'S
NUMBER ONE.%>>
I'M
NOT
GUARANTEEING YOU'LL%GET
FUNDING
FOR
THESE
THINGS
%BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO
BE
%COMPETING AGAINST NOT JUST
THE
%OTHER
COUNTIES THAT
HAVE
BEEN
%AFFECTED
IN
WISCONSIN,
BUT
EVERY
%COUNTY
ACROSS
THE
COUNTRY.%>>
JASON
LAUMANN
SAYS
LOCAL
%GOVERNMENTS NEED TO
PLAN
FOR
%THESE
COSTS.%>>
COMEUBTS,
COUNTIES
HAVE
%GOTTEN
TO
REALIZE
THAT
THEY'RE
%GOING TO
HAVE
TO
BEAR
SOME OF
%THE BURDEN FOR
THIS,
ESPECIALLY
%WITH
THE INFRASTRUCTURE
COSTS.%>>
OTHERWISE, THEY'LL BE IN
THE
%ODD
POSITION OF
HOPING
WHEN
THE
%FLOOD
COMES,
IT'S
REALLY
BAD,
SO
%THEY
QUALIFY
FOR
FEMA GRANTS
TO
%REBUILD
.
%>>
THIS
IS
THE
LARGEST
CULVERT
%STRUCTURE THAT WE
HAVE IN
THE%TOWN OF
HAYWARD.%>> THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED
AFTER
%THE 2016 FLOOD
WASHED
OUT
THIS
%GRAVEL
ROAD.%>> IT
ENDED
UP
BEING
A
FEMA
%PROJECT.
%THE
TOTAL
COST OF
THE
PROJECT
%WAS
OVER $80,000 TO
PUT
THIS
BOX
%CULVERT
IN,
AND
YOU
KNOW,
FOR
%THE TOWN
TO
DO
THAT
ON
THEIR
OWN
%NEVER
WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED.
%>>
EVEN
WITH
THE
FEMA
MONEY,
THE
%TOWNSHIP STILL
HAD
TO
PAY
25% OF
%THE
COST.
%HAMBLIN
SAYS IT
WOULD
COST
5 TO%$10,000 TO
FILL IN
THE
WASHOUT.
%THEY
COULD
HAVE DONE
THAT
FOR
%NEXT EIGHT FLOODS AND
STILL
%SAVED
MONEY.%>>
HOPEFULLY
THIS
CULVERT
WILL
%OUTLIVE ALL OF
US.
%>>
BUT
THE
NEXT EIGHT FLOODS
MAY
%NOT BE
THAT FAR
OFF.
%>>
DO
WE
PLAN 50 YEARS
OR 100
%YEARS DOWN THE
ROAD OR
DO
WE
%PLAN FOR
TOMORROW
AND
HOPE
FOR
%THE
BEST?
%>>
THAT