Whitewater dodges bullet with flooding

As rain pounded Walworth, Jefferson and Waukesha counties Monday and overnight into Tuesday, Whitewater didn’t get as much flooding as nearby communities did. However, Palmyra was no stranger to the storm’s wrath. Flooding of more than a foot occurred on 4th Street, causing it to be closed until further notice. With more rain expected, further closures were expected, but there were also concerns of large amounts of ice due to temperatures dipping below freezing overnight. (Submitted photo)

Palmyra has road closure

By Ryan Spoehr
SLN STAFF
Heavy rain throughout Monday and into Tuesday in Jefferson and Walworth counties left many areas underwater, but the City of Whitewater seemingly didn’t get hit too badly with flooding.
“We are in pretty good shape,” said Brad Marquardt, the city’s public works director.
Marquardt said at Walworth and Douglas avenues near the high school a storm sewer was blocked with ice, but city workers were able to alleviate the issue and get the water to flow again.
Whitewater Creek, which flows out of Cravath Lake in the city’s downtown, had its bank above normal levels, but Marquardt said that is not uncommon.
“That is pretty typical in heavy rains. It typically happens about once a year,” Marquardt said.
However, the Village of Palmyra wasn’t so lucky. The heavy rain forced the closure of a local street earlier this week.
The downpours caused S. Fourth Street in Palmyra to be “completely closed until further notice” due to the flooding, Village Clerk Laurie Mueller said in an email on Tuesday.
“I don’t see the problem getting any better. There’s nowhere for the water to go,” Palmyra Public Works Director Jeff Gwaltney said.
For more on the area weather, pick up this week’s editions of the Whitewater Register and The Enterprise of Palmyra and Eagle.

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