News, Weather and Sports for Sioux City, IA: KCAU-TV.comScenic Park Turned Into a Desert

Scenic Park Turned Into a Desert

Posted: Updated:

In South Sioux City, city officials say Scenic Park has been hit the hardest by the Missouri River flood.

Scenic Park Campground which is usually filled with campers this time of year.

But instead, it's filled with sand, mud and debris.

Driving around Scenic Park is almost like taking a tour of the Sahara Desert.

Benches, trees and shelters all buried in sand.

With some dunes reaching as high at ten feet.

"At this time we're really trying to figure out what to do with the sand," tells Gene Maffir with South Sioux City Parks Director.

One option on the table, return it back into the Mighty Mo.

"So we're asking the Corps if we can get permission to push it back into the river. If the agree to that, that would save a significant amount of money," says Lance Hedquist, South Sioux City City Administrator.

If the answer is no? Then the city will have to remove it by truck and that could mean 20 thousand truck loads of the stuff.

The city is hoping to get an answer soon so it can work on getting the campground open again.

"That's very important to us to get that open again because the campground is a revenue generator for the city so it helps keep our property taxes down," tells Hedquist.

South Sioux City has lost roughly 200 thousand dollars from the park not being open.

And it doesn't expect to re–open until sometime next year.

When the clean up is all said and done the city expects it to cost upwards of two million dollars.

Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2001 - 2012 WorldNow and KCAU-TV. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.