UPDATE: No threat to water supply, Cherokee County officials say

CHEROKEE, Iowa (KCAU) — UPDATE (6/24/2024 @ 9:00 a.m.): Officials in Cherokee County have said that all bridges are still closed. Updates on roads in Cherokee County are being monitored by the Cherokee County Roads Department.

In a post , Cherokee County Emergency Management said that river levels in the county are dropping, but Mill Creek may take time to clear out.

They also said that water wells are up and pumping and that there is no threat to the water system at this time.

They did say, however, that the sewer system is more fragile and that what flushes should be done limitedly and residents should watch what they are flushing.

PREVIOUS: Many Cherokee residents spent their day Sunday picking up what they could after some of the worst flooding the town has seen in years.

While the water level may have gone down, residents are now discovering the damage left after the flooding, with one person saying they lost many beloved items to water damage. Another said this is the worst flooding he has ever seen in Cherokee.

“2012 was pretty wicked with some flooding and stuff like that, but not like this,” resident Dustin Schmillen said. “This came up a lot faster and got a lot further than it ever has before.”

However, some people luckily only received minor damage from the flooding.

“Our lower level, basement area bathrooms there, the drains, certainly between groundwater and sewage,” John Riggert, a pastor with Trinity Lutheran Church, said. “We’ve had some problems, but thankful for people that stay late, made it a long night, but mitigated the best they could. And it certainly could have been a lot worse with basement damage.”

Cherokee County Emergency Management asks everyone to conserve water and sewer usage until further notice.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.