Impacted roadways in Texas County pose problems after flooding

TEXAS COUNTY, Mo. — "It's kind of interesting. Last week we were battling wildfires because of the drought conditions and everything, and a week later, we're transitioned to heavy rainfall, which caused some pretty historic flooding in this area," Texas County Office of Emergency Management's Jeff Reed says in front of a decimated Mason Bridge.

Houston School District reminds students classes will be in session

"If you look at the data and talking to people in this area, that is been about 40 to 45 years since they seen water levels this high in our area," Reed said.

Parts of the asphalt are lying on top of the roadway, trees have been brought down and leaning against the bridge, and even a power pole lays at an angle, with the power line tied up somewhere under the bridge.

Ward says on top of the damages, they've had to respond to several water rescues.

"I started about 12 a.m. yesterday morning on Tuesday. We had some calls that was about people trapped in the water. I started to notice the water started to get it getting higher," Reed said. "Probably about 4 a.m. we got a call about a resident that were trapped in their house due to flooding from the Rubidoux."

Reed says this was some of, if not the most damage he's seen from flooding.

South of Houston, Missouri, Robbie Smith with the Houston Fire Department showed OzarksFirst a completely decimated bridge at the Baptist Camp Access.

"The bridge has just recently been replaced, and unfortunately, this water has done extensive amount of damage to it. The guardrail that mounts that hold the guardrail on here, as well as behind us with the roadway and the gravel," Smith said.

When he says 'replaced' he's referring to a fire around two years ago that caused the county to replace the roadway.

"I know that sounds strange underneath us was driftwood, which is right off here to the side with the guardrail. That driftwood was packed up underneath here, and unfortunately, it was decided upon somebody to light it. It's all concreate around there. Flames were coming out both sides," Smith said. "We realized that all the driftwood had been lit, which that intense of a fire caused the concrete to crack and weaken."

Smith says their fire crews had several water rescues to respond to as well.

"Most of the calls that we were deemed to go to was a swift water rescue. our first one, I believe, was around 1:35 in the morning, and then the second one followed around 3 a.m. roughly. Both of those were they just didn't realize the water was over the roadway and drove straight into it and assisted those folks along with the Texas County Sheriff's Department," Smith said .

The two say these bridges are vital to the community, as well as those who use them to get to other parts of the Ozarks.

"This bridge here is very vital. Basically, any bridge that we have up in this area is very vital because you lose a bridge right now, this (bridge) takes you to a connection with 17. So it adds more time for your travel, probably about an extra 30 to 45 minutes to go around, to go down to Houston and come back to the same spot of 17," Reed said.

"It does play a vital role for fire, EMS, law enforcement to get to these folks in a timely manner. Yes, we have other locations that we can go around and get to these locations just right up the road, but you're also looking at extended ETA for us to arrive there," Smith said.

Both say MoDOT has to examine the bridges before repairs can begin, but that means there's no timetable for when the roadways will be passable again.

"Right now, I do not have an estimate of time, but I know all the crews are working hard in the county, especially your townships. They're working very hard to get the local roads, the gravel roads that they take care of back up and running," Reed said.

"It's going to take a little while for the county to be able to move into such a vast area that's affecting a large portion of Texas County and many other counties, to get that gravel and move in here to make it even passable again once the inspections is done and decided upon on the bridge itself," Smith said. "Who knows how many loads of gravel and fill rock that it will take to put this back to where it is passable."