Heavy Weekend Rain In Skiatook Stirs Memories Of 2019’s Historic Floods

Heavy rains over the weekend brought flooding to Bird Creek, shutting down part of Highway 20 near Skiatook Saturday.

While it wasn't anywhere near the levels of 2019’s historic flooding, the owner of Tastee Freez said it's scary any time they get heavy rains.

"It flooded just a little bit up past the windows and it stayed flooded for several days, which is unusual," said owner Lisa Little.

Osage SkyNews 6 video shows how bad it really was in 2019. Tastee Freez, along with several other businesses, was surrounded by water.

"The flooding event was extreme. There's no two ways about it," said Skiatook Fire Chief James Annas.

He said any flooding after a historic event like that seems more manageable. Even though last weekend's flooding wasn't as bad, people still had issues.

"Four separate times, we had to go out and rescue people who got their vehicles stuck, and in all of those instances, people were driving around signage that said high water," said Annas.

He wants to remind folks of a phrase said often, but just as often is ignored.

“Turn around, don't drown, it's a campy phrase, but it's true," he said.

Annas said for any weather event, stay weather aware, and find alternate routes when necessary. People like Little know flooding is just a part of living around here.

"This restaurant's been in my family since '66 and we have flooded many times, sometimes two to three times in a year," said Little.

Bird Creek water levels are back down for now, but that could change with more chances of rain this week.