Shiocton was scrambling Tuesday to get ready for flooding after two rounds of severe storms and more rain in the forecast pushed the Wolf River toward what officials warned could be a first-time-ever level this weekend.
Volunteers gathered to fill sandbags for themselves and their neighbors as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the river would reach major flood stage at 11.1 feet. Justin Malueg said his chief told him the area was expecting “first-time-ever type flood levels coming up this weekend,” and he said the turnout showed how quickly the community was reacting to the threat.
The Shiocton Fire Department had already ordered a large amount of sand and planned to order more. Dan Nabbefeld said the department was probably at 41 or 42 tons, or two truckloads so far, and thanked people who came out to help. “We’ll do the best we can for everybody, and just try to be prepared yourself for what’s to come,” he said.
The concern in Shiocton is part of a broader flood watch across Northeast Wisconsin after the storms dumped water on communities already bracing for more. New London also asked for volunteers to help with sandbag production and said city resources were being diverted to that effort. Officials in the region urged residents to take caution, warning that six inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet and 12 inches can sweep away most vehicles.
For Shiocton, the immediate question is not whether the river will rise, but how high it will go and whether the town’s sandbag walls will be enough when the water peaks this weekend.
