Marion’s Garden Levee Coming Down

FT. PIERRE, SD - For those living along the Missouri River, the stresses from this summer's flooding haven't subsided with the water.

For the owners of the 110 homes inside Marion's Garden in Ft. Pierre, 2011 is a year they'll never forget.

"It was really hard to imagine being gone from your house for 56 days and being so close to your house and really not knowing what's going to happen," homeowner Steve Ingram said.

The development banked on a levee to keep the raging Missouri River from swallowing up their property. Some homes did take on some water damage.  But for the most part, the levee paid for by those who live here, did its job.

"I think it saved this whole area, the whole levee across this side of the river," Ingram said.

The river is returning to normal.

"I'm glad to see it about there," Ingram said.

So that means it's now time to take the levee out. An important step, because if it would stay in place, this winter's rain and snow could get trapped on the wrong side of the man-made barrier.

"It's got to come down and we're just happy to see it come down in such a short time. The contractors are really doing a good job," Ingram said.

Nobody knows what will happen next spring.  But Ingram is hopeful next year won't be a repeat of this year's disaster. He thinks the Army Corps has learned its lesson.

"I guess I'm not too worried about it anymore. I think they've got a handle on what they need to do now for all the moisture that comes in," Ingram said.

And that's the hope of everyone along the river.

While that levee along Marion's Garden is coming down, the main levee in Ft. Pierre is still in tact.