Salina Residents Pleased With Drainage Repairs

By Craig Day, The News On 6

SALINA, OK -- In Salina, they're hoping for a break in the rainy weather.  They're still dealing with problems caused by flooding, and it isn't the first time.

Melanie Dodge is thrilled to see Mayes County crews and state transportation department workers fixing drainage issues near her home north of Salina.  Heavy rain has caused a flood of problems for Dodge and her husband.

09/10/2009 Related Story: Flooding Problems Plagues NE Oklahoma

"Hysterically happy.  I was very, very glad to see them here," said Melanie Dodge of Salina.

When as much as six inches of rain an hour hit the Salina area last week, a lot of it ended up inside the Dodge's home of nearly 17 years.  It's the third time they've flooded in a year and a half.

"These last three floods have cost us in excess of $40,000," said Melanie Dodge of Salina.

They've had to replace flooring and washed out fences and deal with a damaged driveway and worst of all, mold.

"One time in a lifetime is too much to go through this because it is devastating," said Melanie Dodge of Salina.

The home isn't in a flood plain.  Dodge says it all comes down to those drainage issues.

The area got so much rain, in such a short amount of time that it didn't take long to cause problems.  Within a matter of minutes, the water was five to six feet deep in a creek, and then went across the road.  All that water had to go somewhere, and it ended up at the Dodge home.

"My husband is ill, he developed a heart condition and the added stress, it just goes from bad to worse.  We're living in a nightmare situation," said Melanie Dodge of Salina.

A situation made better when those county and state crews showed up.

Dodge would like to see overgrown ditches across the road cleaned out, but says the new culverts and other work is a good start on a bad problem.