Minnesota homeowners thankful as floodwaters start to recede

None of Minnesota's rivers are at a major flood stage now, leading homeowners to rejoice as the water in their yards recedes.

On April 24, FOX 9 brought you the story of Patrick and Karol Shanahan, Independence homeowners whose yards and gardens were underwater, along with the road they live on. Six days later, FOX 9 checked back in with them to see how much the water has receded, and it’s amazing what a difference a few days makes.

"It's kind of a scary situation but a blessing," said Patrick Shanahan.

When your beautiful yard is surrounded by floodwaters, but it's not normally a time for celebration. But the Shanahans can't help it, as they consider what could have happened to their Independence farmhouse.

"This house was built 110 years ago. They were smarter back then than we give them credit for," he said.

As the Crow River continues to recede, so does what these homeowners have dubbed "Lake Shanahan," the water that essentially made their home an island.

"As the water was rising, there is this sense of dread you get because you don't know what's going to happen. You don't know when really it's going to stop, and it's just the opposite when the water starts to go down. Then, you kind of get that immense sense of relief," he said.

Water was able to seep into their basement, but they’re hopeful the water will soon have receded enough that they won’t have to continue to pump it out.

County Road 92 has since been reopened. The Shanahans plan to spend the month of May cleaning up their yard and basement.