'Water was overflowing:' Burlington residents remember all too clearly the flood of July 2017

BURLINGTON -- It went down as one of the worst floods in the history of the City of Burlington. In July of 2017, the skies opened up, leaving much of the town underwater. While the water receded, there are haunting memories of the destruction for some residents.

Echo Lake in Burlington looked much different on July 12, 2018 than it did one year prior. Just ask Kristi Carlson, who took some of her clients from an assisted living community out fishing.

"It was underwater," Carlson said. "This time last year, I went fishing as well with my residents and we could not come here because we couldn't be in the area."

While the water receded, the scars left behind are obvious -- both on land and in the water.

"Some pallets, wood just sitting in the water. Ruts in the grass. Dead areas," Carlson said.

In July 2017...

"Water was overflowing into the streets here -- disrupting traffic on this side of town for days," Carlson said.

She said that is no small feat, since the bridge is roughly 20 feet above the current water level.

John Puntillo was working out of a nice, dry bar on July 12, 2018, but pictures he took in July of 2017 show the bar was a literal "watering hole!"

"The parking lot in the back was completely underwater, and there was fish swimming in the parking lot," Puntillo said.

The storms may be in the past, but some in Burlington said they'd be lying if they said they don't get nervous when heavy rain starts coming down.

"It is worrisome. When it rains, you automatically think about that day," Carlson said.

Burlington residents said while most of the area has recovered, rural areas are still seeing the effects of the flooding. The storm destroyed a lot of crops -- and farmers are still feeling the impact from that.