South Dakota Helping Nebraskans Fight Flood

ATEN, NE - South Dakota residents aren't the only ones preparing for the increased releases on the Missouri River.

Homeowners in Nebraska are scrambling to build protection against the powerful water. 

A few miles downstream from Gavins Point Dam the water is rushing past several homes near Aten, Nebraska, and there are a few South Dakotans helping with the sandbagging effort.

"They probably didn't have as much help as we had over there," Former Yankton County Sheriff Dave Hunhoff said.

Hunhoff and South Dakota lawmaker Bernie Hunhoff were lending a hand across the river Thursday.

They've seen all the help Yankton has had preparing for the flooding on the Missouri River and wanted to pay it forward in the smaller towns. 

"When we were sandbagging in Yankton a week ago people came from all over the state, Sioux Falls and even further away to help, Minnesota and Iowa. Somehow these little communities got left behind, so I think the folks from the bigger cities are now coming to help catch up," Bernie Hunhoff said.

And helping out their Nebraska neighbors is something Bernie Hunhoff says both states are all about, especially during an emergency like this.

"It happens when somebody gets sick on a farm and everyone shows up with their combines, and it happens after a fire, and we haven't had a flood like this in many many years but people are here to help," Bernie Hunhoff said.

And homeowners near Aten say they still do need help building barricades against the Missouri River.
They say any volunteers are welcome to stop by to help fill sandbags or pile them up on temporary levees.