Flood Waters Creating Problems For Okmulgee County Residents

Flooding continues to be a problem in Okmulgee County. Monday, roads were still shut down and flooded schools were drying out.

Water has closed Eufaula Street in Okmulgee County. Neighbors said there typically isn't any water in the area, but now it looks like a lake and it's keeping some from getting to their homes.

The current at Deep Fork River is flowing fast, and neighbors said it's almost four-times its usual size.

Fishermen Corey Landis and Danny Carver said, typically, they can drive on the dirt road much closer to the bank.

"We were expecting it to be quite a bit lower," Carver said. “You can usually hardly even see the water moving."

The waters have taken over many pastures and damaged streets in the county; flood waters even got close to the front door of one nearby home.

5/11/2015 Related Story: Residents Deal With Extensive Flooding In Pittsburg County

Okmulgee County Emergency Manager Tim Craighton said roads are slowly drying off, but some that back up to the river will remain covered for days.

"In several places it took the whole road and the culvert out. There's one place it washed everything underneath the black top out," he said. “It'll probably be the beginning of next week until this water gets off some of these roads.”

Water even got inside a few schools, like Wilson Public Schools, where a few inches of water sat inside computer labs and classrooms.

"They stand up on top of a knoll, but the water just came so fast that it came in the doors," Craighton said.

On Saturday the staff put sand bags outside doors to keep more water from getting inside.

While most are ready for the flood waters to recede, Landis said it makes for good fishing conditions.

"I would think it would bring more food, so the fish would be feeding more, which gives us a more likely chance to catch,” he said.

County officials hope there isn't much more rain this week so water levels have a chance to go down.

Crews were out Monday and will be out again Tuesday repairing damaged roads.

Wilson will be open Tuesday.