Cherry Creek residents return home

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal staff | Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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People living in the small village of Cherry Creek on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation are back home and cleaning up water damage after being forced from their homes last week, a tribal official said Tuesday.

But, another heavy rain could force them from their homes again.

Gov. Mike Rounds toured parts of the reservation Monday and met with tribal leaders to see what the state can do to help with clean-up efforts.

The American Red Cross opened emergency shelters at Takini and Eagle Butte last Friday and Saturday to house people driven from storm-battered homes as floodwaters rose.

No homes were lost in Cherry Creek, although many mobile homes were damaged by rain, wind and hail, according to Harold Condon, tribal administrative officer. Several basements also flooded, he said.

"There was not adequate drainage in the community," Condon said.

Cherry Creek residents were bused to Takini and Eagle Butte, according to Russ Korzeniewski, director of plans and programs for the American Red Cross in Rapid City.

Korzeniewski said 80 people stayed at the Takini shelter on Friday night, and 22 on Saturday.

Eleven people were housed at Eagle Butte on Friday, but no one used the shelter Saturday night.

"The majority were from the Cherry Creek area," Korzeniewski said.

Tribal Chairman Joseph Brings Plenty and his staff did a "fantastic job" evacuating people from areas threatened by flood waters, he said.

The Red Cross has prepared more than 100 cleaning kits for distribution on the reservation and in other areas damaged by floodwaters. The kits include a bucket, bleach, a heavy-duty cleaner, gloves, sponges, garbage bags, mops and brooms.

A variety of Rapid City businesses and organizations contributed items for the cleanup kits, Korzeniewski said.

Mold could become a serious health issue in water damaged homes, Condon said.

Officials are busy assessing damages to homes to determine the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, all of the rain and runoff briefly created a concern for the Tri-County Water Association. Silt stirred up by the floodwaters threatened to compromise the water intake station at the Mni Waste' water distribution project.

Condon said technicians were able to solve the problem. Meanwhile, tribal officials stocked up on bottled water and made sure dialysis patients had plenty of safe drinking water on hand, he said.

"It was a close call," Condon said.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com