The water isn't going anywhere for a while

The worst part about floods is the waiting.

The water comes over its banks, covers roadways and front yards, and laps at the stucco sidings of homes that may never be the same.

And it stays there.

For a long time.

In Waterville, which is squeezed between Sakatah Lake to the east and Tetonka Lake to the west, it's hard to fathom right now how long that wait will be.

Forecasters are saying the water is receding, but only by an inch every 12 hours, and who knows what'll happen if it rains again.

While streets are deluged and sandbags strain against the floodwaters, one section of Waterville is now like its own lake.

The locals call it the Lagoons, and it's lined with expensive houses that are permanent homes and seasonal retreats.

"We have a place and we also have a guest house," said Bob Goetzke, who's from North Mankato but takes seasonal breaks in Waterville at a place he's owned for 35 years. "We were out here Sunday checking things out and it was pretty bad then, we came back today but we can't get through, the water's just too high."

He glanced in the direction of his place.

"Nothing but water, just water everywhere."

The process for recovery is long, but some steps have been taken, such as the governor and LeSueur County, and city officials declaring an emergency.

Goetzke said he may have trouble getting federal recovery funds because his place isn't a permanent home.

"Very few people, if any, have flood insurance in here, so some of these people can be looking at a total loss," he said. It's really kind of a nightmare."

And there is rain in the forecast.

"They're just kind of holding their own right now," Goetzke said of Waterville city leaders. "As soon as the water goes down, we're probably going to get a big dumpster and just start pitching things."

There has been plenty of help.

Dozens of volunteers came to fill thousands of sandbags.

Many of them stayed and helped serve up brats and bar-b-que chicken during a free lunch and dinner at a local community center.

More than 1,000 people were served on Wednesday.

The Minnesota National Guard also has a presence in Waterville.

"These people out here are pretty hardy people, and it's kind of nice," Goetzke said of the outside help. "It's too bad it takes a catastrophe to bring out the good in everybody, but we're really seeing that right now. I haven't heard one person out here that hasn't been grateful that people are out here helping. It's nobody's fault, it's mother nature, you know."

Al Schoch spent the day in Waterville volunteering at the free lunch and dinner. In between spooning up baked beans and throwing out trash, he was able to sneak in a brat and Diet Dr. Pepper.