"I've never seen anything like it in my life," Mobile Home Park Remembers '96 Flood

This photo pulled from KEPR ACTION NEWS ARCHIVE LIBRARY. A car tried to make it through the floodwaters in Benton City, 1996.

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Story Published: Jan 9, 2009 at 7:14 PM PDT

By Chelsea Kopta

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BENTON CITY -- Waters crept dangerously close to Benton City communities on Friday, rising more than five feet in 24 hours.

"I don't think it will make like '96 though," a homeowner said.

Those who remember said the current floods are nothing close to chaos of '96.

We found only one man in Benton City who was still here to tell the story: John Boderick.

"The double wide had 18 inches in the house and the trailers were wiped right off the foundation. The big trailers," Boderick said. "The manager at the time was rowing around in row boats.He stayed in the park."

After a dozen years, Boderick is the only one still living at the Green Acres Mobile Home Park, the same community that was once a disaster area.

The community was evacuated, homes were in disarray, roads were blocked off and bridges were shut down. The National Guard came in and the Red Cross.

"It was just a disaster in here is all it was," Boderick said. "Mine was the only one that wasn't hit."

Boderick got lucky. His trailer was the only one the water didn't touch.

"The manager asked if I wanted to move and he'd pay for everything and I said 'no, I'll stay." Why? "Because I was in the highest place on the park. At least I thought I was cause I was the only one that didn't get hit. And everything else was."

Other neighbors weren't here for the '96 flood but their trailers were.

"I know this trailer that we're living in was under water," neighbor Josh Ehm said.

Ehm said his floors are damaged with rot and soft spots.

"I wish I would've known that before or I wouldn't have moved in," he said.

If the floods come again, Ehm said he will pack up his family and go.

But John is still here... And plans to stay.

"No I'm not afraid of the water," he said. "Let her come if she's going to come."

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