Flooding closes Pettibone Boat Club

LA CROSSE (WKBT)-- July 4th is looking a little different for many boaters.

Flooding from the Mississippi River is causing Pettibone Boat Club to close for Independence Day.

"It is a hazard getting down here. There is current coming over the road that could sweep someone away, you can fall down, you can get hurt," operations manager Joey Graves said. "If you're coming in by boat, the current on the river is very fast right now."

News 8 Now took a boat ride with Graves. When he put the boat in neutral, it started floating faster than normal.

On Monday, Graves tried sandbagging the road to try and keep the restaurant and marina open for the holiday, but even that couldn't do the job.

"Just due to how much water is coming through or coming down the river at this time, there is too much water and too many safety concerns to allow the marina to be open," Graves explained.

According to the National Weather Service, the river is now at 14.8 ft. By Monday, they estimate to drop to 13.9 feet. Graves hopes by then the marina will reopen

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