MCCOOK LAKE -- On Sunday, June 23, the Big Sioux River left its banks. Swift-moving water rolled into McCook Lake homes along Penrose Drive and Northshore Drive, sweeping at least three into the lake and collapsing over three dozen more. The flooding damaged another 100 homes.
One of those involved in helping the community cope with the aftermath of the flood and restore their way of life is Dirk Lohry, president of the McCook Lake Association. "We represent the 200 plus lakefront owners on the lake. Our primary job is to pump water from the Missouri River into McCook Lake but we also take care of issues on the lake," Lohry said.
"We put up the safety buoys up here. We also get into a little bit of politics trying to help out the lake." Dirk and his wife Bonnie have lived on McCook Lake since 2010.
"It's beautiful out here. You have the view. You see nature all the time.
The change of the seasons, right now, everything is all colorful. We love living on the lake and the people are great here." The Journal spoke with Lohry about McCook Lake and the flood response and recovery.
Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and style. "I don’t really call it bouncing back. This is a long-term recovery process.
Some people are absolutely devastated. There are 36 houses that we re totally ruined. They have 20 houses that are going to be removed in the next month which is really the start of the whole thing.
You go up there right now and walk around it looks like a w.
