Flash Flood — Buffalo, Wisconsin

2016-08-11 · near Mondovi, Buffalo, Wisconsin

Event narrative

Runoff from heavy rain pushed numerous streams out of their banks across Buffalo County. In addition, mudslides occurred and some bridges were washed out. Five families in Mondovi and Gilmanton were displaced from their homes because of the flooding. In Gilmanton, flood waters from Elk Creek surrounded some houses and water rescues had to be performed to get the residents safely out. Just west of Gilmanton along County Highway B, several feet of flood waters from Elk Creek flowed through 5 homes. State Highways 37 and 88 near Gilmanton were closed because of the flood waters. State Highway 35 south of Alma also had water over the road for a while in the morning. The flash flooding caused a deep hole to form in County Highway N near State Highway 37 northeast of Alma. A 15 foot section of road was washed out near State Highway 88 and County Highway U south of Gilmanton. Household LP tanks were moved by the flood waters and were seen floating down the Little Waumandee Creek near Cream. State Highway 88 and County Highway E near Cream were closed when water from the Little Waumandee Creek covered the roads. State Highway 121 was closed east of Gilmanton when flood waters from a branch of the South Fork Elk Creek covered the road. 1 to 2 feet of water was over State Highway 88 northeast of Cochrane near the intersection with County Highway O. Fifteen homeowners applied for federal assistance after suffering damage to more than half of their homes.

Wider weather episode

Repeated rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across western Wisconsin on August 11th. This heavy rain produced flash flooding in parts of Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties. In Buffalo County, Mondovi, Gilmanton and Cream were hit hard by the flash flooding. Water rescues had to be performed in Gilmanton, numerous roads around both communities sustained damaged and were closed and LP tanks were knocked loose and floated through Cream. Five families in Mondovi and Gilmanton were displaced from their homes because of the flooding. In Trempealeau County, roads were closed from Eleva south through Elk Creek to Indpendence. The rising water stranded residences in Elk Creek and evacuations were performed in Independence. A state of emergency was declared in both Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.5956, -91.7530)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 652973. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.