Cleanup Is Underway After City Of Oconto Flood

The city of Oconto is cleaning up after the worst flooding its seen since 1986.

The high water was caused by an ice jam in the Oconto River. The city is bringing in a barge to break up remaining ice and hopefully reduce the risk of further flooding, according to city administrator Sara Perrizo.

“We’re doing what we can, as I said with the barge, but we are concerned about the spring and are certainly planning for the possibility that it may happen again,” Perrizo said.

The city is offering curbside pickup for damaged items and has a hotline for residents who need assistance. The American Red Cross of Wisconsin is also in the area, going door-to-door to assess the damage and offering cleanup kits to residents.

Justin Kern, communications officer for the Red Cross of Wisconsin, said volunteers gave out 72 kits on Thursday. They include items like bleach, sponges, gloves and squeegees. He added that the organization will be ready to respond should additional flooding occur.

The city and the Red Cross are working together to determine how much damage the flooding caused. Perrizo said an estimate should be ready in the next week or two.

The Oconto Fire Department assisted some residents who voluntarily evacuated. Red Cross volunteers have reported seeing some significant damage, Kern said.

The city of Oconto hasn’t seen a flood of this magnitude in more than three decades, Perrizo said. The last time flooding occurred was in the spring.

“This is the first time in recollection that this has happened in December with the crazy weather that we’ve had, warming up and freezing,” she said. “It’s caused that ice to break up and jam.”

The flooding started Monday night. Since then, the city has been keeping residents updated through social media. Its public health department shared instructions for removing mold as well as guidelines for food safety after a flood.

On Thursday, the public works department salted and scraped sidewalks where floodwater had stood, according to the city’s Facebook page.

Wisconsin received more rain and snow in 2019 than any year in recorded history. It’s rare for the Red Cross to respond to flooding in December and January, Kern said, but wet weather has made parts of the state vulnerable to flooding.

“It’s alarming and something that we are working on with our partners to make sure that we’re ready to respond,” Kern said.

The Red Cross has 2,300 volunteers across Wisconsin who can be deployed to respond to natural disasters.