Severe flooding hits southwestern Wisconsin

Torrential flooding across southwestern Wisconsin has prompted mudslides, shuttered roads and forced residents to evacuate from their homes this week.

The regions most severely affected are in the southwestern, west-central and south-central parts of the state, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. The agency reported downed trees and flooded park properties, as well.

There were no fatality reports as of Saturday morning, said Lori Getter of the Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center.

"We're monitoring the situation, all night long, and all day today," Getter said Saturday.

Storms are expected to return to northern Wisconsin Saturday night and may be severe, moving south and dissipating by midnight. The Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center reports a flood warning remains in effect for La Crosse, Lafayette and Grant counties in the southwest. 

The Grant County Emergency Management team reported firefighters and swift water technicians evacuated people in Cassville and Potosi overnight Friday. Two to three homes in the county were destroyed and a dozen sustained major damage. The Red Cross is delivering cleanup kits to the two villages.

Gov. Scott Walker is scheduled to tour storm damage Sunday morning in Cassville.

On Thursday morning, hundreds of residents in Arcadia, a western town of 3,000 in Trempealeau County, were evacuated after overnight flooding from Turton Creek, forcing officials to shut down city streets.

Emergency shelters have since been set up in schools, churches and community centers.

Damage assessments for Wednesday and Thursday estimate 171 homes were affected by the storms. Public infrastructure damage already totals over $2.8 million, according to Wisconsin Emergency Management.

Walker declared a state of emergency for 17 counties Friday.

Walker also visited flood victims and surveyed flood damage in Arcadia and Ontario, in Vernon County, on Friday morning. Sandbagging efforts, aided by the Wisconsin National Guard, continued throughout Friday.

The counties in the governor’s declaration are Buffalo, Crawford, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Monroe, Pepin, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Trempealeau and Vernon.

Just last week, the governor issued a state of emergency for Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties following widespread flooding. The damage from those rains is currently estimated to be over $40 million.

Those counties were not hit by this week’s rain.

Much of the storm system has now shifted south into Iowa and Illinois, Getter said.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is monitoring road closures due to flooding. Check for closures here.

The following trails remain closed, according to the DNR: Blue Mound, Governor Nelson, Tower Hill, Governor Dodge, Wyalusing, Wildcat Mountain and Perrot state parks, Badger, Military Ridge, Sugar River, Elroy Sparta, the 400 and Great River state trails.

The heavy rains also are affecting businesses, especially those reliant on the state's riverways.

Scott Teuber, owner of Wisconsin River Outings, said his canoe rental business is down this season, especially at his Mazomanie location. He can't put customers out on the river, which means other businesses, like gas stations and restaurants in town, also are affected.

"We've been getting kicked in the shins," Teuber said.