OTTUMWA, Iowa (KCRG) - Flooding this spring in Garden City was no joke.

“Were in the process of emergency mode because our fair is less than 12–weeks away. We have a lot to do and a very short time to do it,” said Blue Earth County Fair Pres. Robin Tietz.

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Roads were washed away, fairgrounds were damaged and even one of the oldest structures in town, an old bridge stretching across the Watonwan River, was completely washed away.

“We had an ice dam at the bridge which caused the river to reroute and then flooded areas, even some different areas that didn’t flood in 2010 flooded here in 2019,” explained Chief Deputy Mike Maurer.

Now, cleanup ensues around town and especially down at the Blue Earth County Fairgrounds.

“The road needs to be done, the electrical needs to be done, the grandstand needs to be cleaned up and there is probably three–foot of sand that came in when the river came so all that needs to get cleaned out,” explained Tietz. “The trees need to get cleaned up that came down so right now here at the fairgrounds we are looking at well over $200,000 in damage.”

FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is slated to meet with Tietz and Chief Deputy Maurer on Tuesday of next week to assess the damage, determine fund distribution and figure out where we go from here.

Already in the beginning of May, organizers are under a time crunch to get the fairgrounds back to normal.

"We are the oldest county fair in the state and under my watch we aren't going to miss a year," said Tietz.

To help with making sure the show goes on at the Blue Earth County Fair, Tietz is asking for volunteers to help with raking, chopping trees up if you have a chainsaw and any other miscellaneous clean–up duties that can be done.

Volunteers will be able to help the next two Saturdays from 10-4. If interested, contact Robin Tietz at 507-420-5689.

correction: They were volunteers, not paid employees.

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