“I am very bullish on our future”- Cherokee continues to rebuild one year later

CHEROKEE, Iowa (KTIV) – One year later and the town of Cherokee is still rebuilding from last year’s flood.

“It was just a perfect storm, you could say. Water came from literally everywhere,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Justin Pritts.

Water from the Little Sioux and its tributaries, Mill Creek and Ocheyedan, all pooled into Cherokee. Five bridges were shut down at one time, leaving limited access from the west or north.

“The community is resilient when it comes to flooding. The downside to this one was it just came faster and stronger,” said Pritts.

Flood waters hit a record high of 34 feet, about five feet higher than the previous record back in 2018. Pritts says the community can usually expect to receive Spencer’s water within a couple of days, but this time, they received it in a matter of hours.

“It certainly reached areas where it has not in the past,” said Pritts.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant is the biggest priority for the town. All of the electronic switches, boards and the “nuts and bolts” that make the plant run are located in a basement of the building. That entire area was completely under water, making the plant inoperable. At one point, waste had to be dumped into the Little Sioux River, with permission from the state. Right now, the mayor says they are patching up the issues. But, it’s only at the bare minimum that allows for some treatment. The goal is to relocate the facility, but the town needs the funds to do so.

“If we rehab what we have, we’re talking $45 million. If we move it, let’s say across the river. We’re talking in the neighborhood of $75 million,” said Cherokee Mayor Craig Schmidt.

A total of 140 houses were affected. Of those, 45 were considered majorly damaged and 22 were considered destroyed.

“We had a couple houses in town where the refrigerator was floating in the kitchen,” said Pritts.

The population of Cherokee is sitting at around 5,200 people. Some homeowners have relocated within town in hopes of rehabilitating their damaged homes. Other homeowners haven’t even touched their homes in the last year, in hopes of a potential buyout.

“Foundations were washed out, they’re missing walls. They’re not safe to be in. And, they shouldn’t be in their houses for that matter. The buyout process is still not firm,” said Pritts.

Spring Lake Park used to have a campground that fit 20 campers, but now it’s wiped out, and only picnic tables remain.

Mayor Schmidt says the Spring Lake Yacht Club was severely damaged. It was used to host weddings, meetings, and parties. The venue sustained 36 inches of water, hitting above the outlets.

“We’re in the process of getting all the permits and monies, everything of that nature,” said Schmidt.

Overall, the community is working together to rebuild their town. The process is slow but the mayor says the town is staying strong.

“I am very, very bullish on our future,” said Schmidt.

The mayor says the Wastewater Treatment Plant project is the highest priority for Cherokee, with a completion date of three to five years.

Follow this link to see more coverage from “The Siouxland Floods: Rebuilding Stronger.”

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