Troy Mills worried about flooding for next 36 hours

TROY MILLS – The failure of an 80-year-old dam and expectation of a record river crest has this unincorporated Linn County community of around 150 people concerned about the next 36 hours.

“There's kind of a sense of that buzz, of nervous anticipation,” said Melissa Ward, manager of a local store.

Troy store, 5913, Main St., was the social nerve center for the town on Saturday after most of its residents lost Internet and phone service, said Ward. She said Iowa Telecom had been working to repair service after lines went down about 10:30 a.m.

While the currents of the Wapsinpinicon River rushed by, some neighbors along Coggon Road pulled together to fill sandbags close to their homes, which were being threatened by the rushing water. At 6:30 p.m. some basements had had been inundated by the Wapsi.

At sunset a group of neighbors were relaxing after the work, they laughed and sipped beer, knowing that so much of what's to come was simply beyond their control.

Back in 1999, the river severely impacted some homes in town. The 2008 flood was a less of a disaster, said Gary Woods, whose home is nearby a bridge that connects Troy Mills to the close by town of Walker.

He said whatever happened upstream today by Independence would surely foreshadow life in the town tomorrow. He may have to start moving possessions, or turn on his sump pump.

At the store, Ward said Woods's understanding of the town's connection to the river was true.

The river is called a meandering stream, said Woods.

“Sometimes I own two acres, sometimes it's one. It just depends on what the river wants to give,” he said.

“It's just one of those neighbors that doesn't have a fence,” he added.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office is answering calls for service on a case by case basis. There were no visible emergency services in the town Saturday.

By 8 p.m. phone service had been restored for Woods. He had expected the first call to be the phone company, letting him know that service was back. But, he said it came from a family member.

“They just wanted to check on me, to see how it's going,” said Woods

Neighbors continued to come through the store near nightfall, “We're just bracing,” said Ward.