Wisconsin, Nebraska face rising floodwaters

(FOX 9) - States throughout the Midwest are facing their own spring flooding.

As the water rises, the National Guard is rolling through Columbus, Wisconsin. Rising rivers and streams forced many residents to escape for their safety.

“We were asked if we would evacuate,” said Diane Ballweg, a Wisconsin flood victim. “We had the option. Well, I needed to go to work this morning, so I took the option.”

Throughout the state there are isolated pockets of streets now turning into waterways. In Allouez, which is near Green Bay, homes sit just a few feet away from disaster.

In the western Wisconsin Town of Dodge, farmers now have to contemplate how long flooded fields will delay spring planting.

“All the water melting from all that rain we had, it’s just more than we can handle,” said Mike Hoesley, a Wisconsin farmer.

But it’s not just Wisconsin. In Nebraska, the rising Platte River has breached several levees. The floodwaters have surrounded towns. In Fremont, Nebraska the rising water has flooded homes and neighborhoods as residents now stack sand bags to help prevent further damage.

The last major flood to hit Nebraska took place in 2011 and caused more than $2 billion in damage.