Huiskes said the water didnÕt get as high as during the 1993 flood, and the southwest part of town was protected by dams that were constructed northwest of town three years ago, so damage was limited.
Cleaning the parks will be a big project. "We did get the bathrooms cleaned out and disinfected. It's a mess. There's mud everywhere."
The baseball and softball diamonds have drains but those valves canÕt be opened until the river recedes. Park equipment, buildings and other surfaces will be cleaned by city crews.
River Road was one of the hardest hit, and that was being rebuilt as soon as Tuesday. It leads to the Karen and Mike Mensen residence and their River Road Evergreens business.
Karen said there was some damage to trees and an outbuilding but none to their home. "Here we sit like an island and it didn't get to the house. It's happened before, but we've lived here a long time, and if we really had to worry, we would've been gone."
The water on their property made quite a mess, though. "It leaves behind mud, cornstalks and just muck," she said.
On a bright note, Karen said small seedlings were buried in water and she feared they would be destroyed or washed away. But she noticed the seedlings were still there and perking up more than she expected.
She said watching other Midwest flood damage stories on the news puts her problems in perspective. "For us it's a nuisance more than anything - a little extra work and cleaning, but we'll survive."
The city of Luverne is asking for volunteers to help the city clean up damage left by flood waters. Pinnacle Programs and the Nobles Rock County Jail will likely be called on first, but a list of volunteers would be helpful.
Interested volunteers can leave their names and phone numbers with City Hall at 449-2388.