Flash Flood — Trempealeau, Wisconsin

2017-07-19 to 2017-07-20 · near Russell, Trempealeau, Wisconsin

Event narrative

Heavy rains, with totals of 6 to 8 inches, produced flash flooding across the southern sections of Trempealeau County. Arcadia was hit the hardest by the flash flooding. Water rescues had to be performed and all roads in and out of the city were closed due to flood waters. Oak Street was washed out and the water flooded dozens of homes and businesses. One manufacturing plant was destroyed by the flooding and a basement wall of one home collapsed. The manufacturing company lost over $1.5 million because of lost production. State Highway 95 was closed between Arcadia and the Jackson County line because of flooding along Turton and Lakes Coulee Creeks and the Trempealeau River. In Galesville, business along Tamarack Creek were inundated by flood water, including the fire station. The swing bridge over the creek was washed away. Numerous roads were covered by 1 to 2 feet of water including portions of U.S. Highway 53, State Highway 93 and County Roads D and T. At least 15 roads across the county were closed because of the flooding.

Wider weather episode

After a round of severe thunderstorms moved across western Wisconsin, a second round of thunderstorms developed over much of the same area during the late evening of July 19th into the early morning of the 20th. These storms produced torrential rains with rainfall totals of 6 to 8 inches common from northern Buffalo County southeast into Richland and Grant Counties. Arcadia (Trempealeau County) was hit the hardest as all roads into town were closed and water rescues had to be performed. Residents of the town of Greenfield (La Crosse County) had to be evacuated from flood waters along Mormon Creek. Some of these evacuations had to be made using a boat. A mudslide covered part of State Highway 37 north of Alma (Buffalo County), flood waters from the Kickapoo River closed State Highways 33 and 131 in Ontario (Vernon County) and flood waters from the Pine River closed State Highway 80 north of Richland Center (Richland County). The Governor of Wisconsin declared a state of emergency for Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties. A federal disaster declaration was made for Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.4255, -91.5331)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 710356. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.