Heavy Rains Bring More Flooding to Kennebec, South Dakota

I've spent quite a few Memorial Day Weekends watching it rain. If you live in South Dakota it's kind of a long standing joke. Don't schedule anything for the Memorial Day Weekend because it will just get rained out.

[Thanks to Lee Borah for the pictures]

Monday afternoon, I spent most of the day flitting back and forth checking my Facebook feed. Recent rains near the small town of Kennebec, South Dakota [my hometown] have left the tiny little town tucked in along Medicine Creek in Lyman County under siege.

I played in that creek that runs parallel and just north of I-90 when I was young. My dog Smokey and I would go down to the creek all the time. I've hunted the creek. I've crossed the creek to get to Margie's house. More days than not, I could walk across the creek!  I know from in the past, the creek can 'get up there,' but this time it looks like it's just about as high as it has ever been.

I talked with my brother Carl earlier today and he thought it had been pretty high back in '95 or so, and like a local he downplayed how high the water was/is this afternoon.

I've seen a few of the pictures. Lee Borah took several that give a good indication of the water that's running through town. The baseball field where SenatorJim Abdnor used to ref baseball games is under water. The road to get to the elevator, under water. Old Old 16, the road to get to my house [where my brother Nelson lives with his family] just west of town under water. The bridge in front of Jim and Deb Anderson's place [mentioned earlier] under water.

This Medicine creek can be an angry creek. I remember in the 60's cattle stranded on an island just west of Kennebec. As a young teen I recall hauling 5 gallon pails up the stairs and out the door while Mom and Dad mopped in the basement.  I can also remember more than a few years how that creek sat bone dry, walk across in your church shoes, flat out empty.

Weather can be cruel. When Mother Nature shakes her finger at you, it's a good idea to turn your head and pay attention.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to families who are dealing with the flooding. Jodi and Craig live just west of Presho, along Medicine Creek. They're battling water tonight. The towns Presho and Vivian are not immune. And near Lower Brule you can bet things are crazy where the Creek empties into the Missouri.

Oklahoma. Kansas. Nebraska. South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and heck just about everywhere in the United States has too much water!

Sure, the sun will shine. Hopefully soon, so farmers can get some crops into the ground this year. In short, too much, too wet this spring.