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As Western Wisconsin Braces For Flooding, Evers Calls For Comprehensive Response

Governor Says More Investment In Mitigation, Resources For Affected Residents Needed

By
Tony Evers, March 2019
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers speaks to reporters Monday, March 25, 2019, in Madison. AP Photo/Scott Bauer

While parts of western Wisconsin prepare for flooding this spring, Gov. Tony Evers said the state needs to take a more holistic approach to flood response and mitigation.

Evers visited several sites in Trempealeau County on Monday that experienced flooding earlier this month, thanks to quickly-melting snow and rain.

During a stop in Centerville, Evers said the state needs to bring municipal leaders, county boards, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other stakeholders together to find solutions.

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“My hope going forward is to work with the Legislature and the legislators from this area, to sit down and say, ‘OK, how can we solve this problem in a relatively sane way and actually help the people in these areas?’ I’m concerned that we can’t look at it piecemeal way. We actually have to look at it holistically,” Evers said.

The governor said the state needs to focus more on mitigation and preventing flood damage to homes and businesses. But he said finding mitigation strategies takes time.

“We have to make sure that we don’t wear people’s patience thin on this issue and make sure that we look at it comprehensively,” Evers said. “But mitigation and prevention is where we have to be headed, we can’t just be sandbagging every year.”

Communities in western Wisconsin will likely see more flooding in coming weeks as snow melt from the north moves down the Mississippi River and other waterways.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the La Crosse area and the Prairie du Chien area.