Storm dumps 8 inches or more of rain, washes out Chase County roads

CHAMPION -- A storm that stalled out over Chase County Monday evening dumped 8 inches or more of rain southwest of Champion, washing out county roads near Imperial and forcing the sheriff to use an alternate route into his own county.

Because camp sites and some roads are under water, coordinators of the ever-popular S.C.O.R.E. science camps originating from the school in Imperial are making adjustments and encouraging kids to come when they can.

Chase County Sheriff Tim Sutherland reported this morning that the heavy rains caught him and a deputy west of flooding on Highway 6. They were forced to drive into Colorado and through Benkelman in Dundy County to get back to Imperial, Sutherland wrote in a press release this morning. Emergency Manager Paul Kuenneman was forced to drive through Julesburg, Colo., to get back to Imperial.

Sutherland said that a mail truck rolled into a ditch prior to the major flooding near Lamar, which received up to four inches of rain. A stuck vehicle southwest of Champion was pulled out by a four-wheel-drive tractor.

Sutherland said that Highway 6 west of Imperial is closed due to flooding of the "sand draw."

Marla Smith, science camp coordinator, said the sand draw is a big gorge west of Imperial that drains into Champion Lake and the Frenchman Creek, both of which are out of their banks.

Smith said the forecast calls for more rain, and possibly more flooding and water down the sand draw. Weather forecasters predict heavy rains today, tonight and Wednesday. Flash flood warnings continue.

Smith said trees at Champion Lake are collapsing and water is pouring over the dam at the Champion Mill. Other science camp off-campus locations have been affected by the weather, she said. "Cabins at Cox's Pond are under water, and roads to the Swinging Bridge Ranch are washed out," she said.

Camp sessions at those locations have been canceled, Smith said. "It's just terrible," she said. "We can't get there."

Smith said some off-campus camp activities can be recreated in Imperial and some sessions in Imperial have been moved indoors. "We have presenters who have extra activities," she said. "And we have great, great teachers. We'll have camp for whoever can show up."

The "Science under the Tent" session scheduled for today, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the Super Foods parking lot, has been moved to the 4-H building on the Chase County fairgrounds.