Perry Lake business prepares for flooding

Employees of a popular restaurant and pub on Perry Lake were busy moving furniture and office supplies Monday afternoon as additional rainfall was expected to push the lake's level even higher and possibly into the first floor of the three-story business building.

Despite the possibility of water entering the restaurant, those associated with Hookers N Reelers were keeping a positive outlook.

"We have an escape plan," said Sarah Hardesty, general manager of Hookers N Reelers, located on the southeast edge of the lake at 10772 Perry Park Drive. "We're trying to stay open as late as we can."

All of northeast Kansas was under a flash flood watch Monday evening. Some parts, though not Perry Lake, were under flood warnings.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management on Monday activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka, making 24-hour staffing available to support county efforts to deal with severe weather and flooding.

Ten counties were added Monday to a state disaster declaration signed May 9 by Gov. Laura Kelly. They were Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, Barton, Butler, Cherokee, Cloud, Dickinson, McPherson, Morris and Pratt.

The declaration also listed the counties of Barber, Chase, Clark, Cowley, Geary, Greenwood, Harvey, Kingman, Lyon, Marion, Meade, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Reno, Rice, Sumner and Wilson.

No such declaration has been issued for Jefferson County, where Hookers N Reelers remained open this past weekend as the area saw substantial rainfall.

"We stuck it out and we had a great weekend," Hardesty said. "We had a lot of support from the community and the surrounding community. It was just a really, really nice weekend."

But with more rain expected, Hardesty said, and water already inches from the business's outdoor deck, employees were "clearing out the lower level" of the restaurant on Monday. Most of the items being moved were from a storage room and office.

If water isn't released from Perry Lake by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and if heavy rains being forecast for northeast Kansas on Monday into Tuesday materialize, then the lake's water level likely will rise.

Should that happen, Hookers N Reelers is ready to move out other items from the second and third floors.

The restaurant, which is in its fifth year of being open, has been preparing for the possibility of having to vacate at least a part of its building for several months, Hardesty said.

"With all the snow and humidity and moisture we had this winter, it was kind of obvious the conditions were ripe for this," she said. "It didn't mean it was going to happen, but we were cognizant of it."

Then, with heavy rains during April and May, the lake level began to rise. Locals say it is at its highest level since the flood season of 1993, Hardesty said.

Being the optimists that they are, Hardesty said, those associated with Hookers N Reelers are only moving out a little at a time, hoping the water won't make it beyond the first level.

"It could go several ways from here," Hardesty said. "We're just staying positive and being proactive."

She said Hookers N Reelers owner Chad Branson has lived in the area for most of his life and was "very familiar" with Perry Lake, including the manner in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water from the reservoir.

At present, all boat ramps at Perry Lake are closed because of the high water level, according to the Corps of Engineers.

Should substantial rainfall occur Monday and Tuesday, Hardesty said, and "if the corps is not able to do an emergency water release, it's likely our lower level will have water in it" either Tuesday or Wednesday.

If it appears that water may come into the upper two floors of the building, she said, power will have to be shut off and other items moved out. She said Hookers N Reelers already has freezer and storage spaced lined up, if that becomes necessary.

She said Hookers N Reelers was in "pretty good shape" with its food supplies, as "we order carefully and we sold out of most of our food" this past weekend.

"What little is left we're going to move to a freezer and keep moving forward," Hardesty said. "I think we're in pretty good shape. We have plenty of help, we have storage lined up and tons of volunteers lined up."

She said this is the closest the business has come to being flooded since it opened.

If water does enter the building, Hardesty said, she hoped it would cause only "minimal" damage.

"Maybe we can dry out and get opened in a couple of weeks," she said. "Or it may be catastrophic and we could be out for the season."

Hardesty said she has been blown away by the support from the community, including both customers and complete strangers.

A small army of volunteers has lined up, offering everything from pickup trucks to portable generators to manpower.

"People come together and you see their true colors," Hardesty said. "We're very thankful for all the support we've received."