Village of Sanford bracing for more flooding

For the second time in as many weeks, parts of Sanford will flood.

The National Weather Service is predicting Midland County could experience flooding at or near the same level as occurred during the devastating flood of 1986. This morning, the NWS said the Tittabawassee River could crest at 32.8 feet. In 1986, the river crested at 33.96 feet. The NWS is predicting rain will continue to fall today and on Friday.

Bob Carl, superintendent of public works for the village of Sanford, said, “Boyce Hydro has opened all the dams upstream to help alleviate the anticipated two- to four-inch rainfall.” Because of the extra water being released, Sanford Village Park has already re-flooded and the Sanford Senior Center has been closed until at least Monday.

Sanford Village Treasurer Linda Geiger, of L & L Accounting and Tax on Center Street between the Senior Center and Saginaw Road said, “During the flood of 1986, the water came up to the top step on my porch but didn’t come into the offices.” A furnace and water heater had to be replaced.

Babes in Toyland, a day care center which occupied the current village offices, was completely flooded. The Senior Center had to replace much of its interior furniture due to flood contamination.

Pat Tracy, owner of the Sanford Barber Shop, pointed to a telephone pole in front of R & R Auto Sales across the street from his shop as a spot that marked the flood waters in 1986. The mark was at least a foot up the pole.

“The flood crossed Saginaw Road just about where the playground in the village park is today,” he said. “My business flooded from the water which came up from the rear streets (south of Saginaw Road) which flooded to the south from the banks of the Tittabawassee River.”

Tracy pulled out a picture from the 1986 flood which showed the power stations under the dam under water with several feet of water up the hill beside the power stations. Carl said if flooding got that high, power to those stations could be reduced or cut to ease the damage.

Homes to the south of Saginaw Road were flooded up to the tops of their power meters in the 1986 flood. Jerry Cole, who lives farthest south at 102 E. Main St., is prepared. At least his goose is — they have him on the front porch with a life preserver.

In 1986, the water got up to the top of four steps on his front porch. But the house wasn’t flooded inside. Cole has already moved his recreational vehicles to higher ground and is ready to wait out the flood.

Don and Jessica Bremer, neighbors across the street at 149 S. Center Road, didn’t live in their home during the 1986 flood, “but we have heard horror stories.” They have rented a storage shed on higher ground and moved items from their garage and placed some things in the home on blocks in preparation. During a previous flood, they kept their rowboat ready to get to Saginaw Road. The rowboat is once again waiting in readiness by the back porch for this round of flooding. Jessica Bremer said the last round of flooding left fish flopping in the yard.