ZUMBRO FALLS — The second phase of the massive change in Zumbro Falls began a few weeks ago.
The first one was two years ago, when the Zumbro River poured over the town's dike in the worst recorded flood in the Zumbro Valley. It devastated the small town, along with Jarrett and Hammond down river.
It left much of the towns swamped and many homes unlivable. For many months, homeowners waited to find out if state or federal programs would buy them out. Finally, the buyouts came through, and just in time for Sunday's second anniversary of the flood, three houses along U.S. 61 in Zumbro Falls were knocked down to begin the second phase.
Late this week, heavy equipment loaded dirt, concrete and other debris into trucks that hauled it away.
The contract to remove buildings or other items on 52 sites in the area is for $621,800.
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Work will continue as the big machines knock down more and more homes throughout the fall. Work is expected to be done May 5.
When homes are down, the land will be graded and turned over to local governments that can use it for parks and other public purposes. No homes or businesses can be put there.
