Sparty needs more than a helmet and gown to protect him - he needs waders and an umbrella.
After a period of unseasonably warm weather and rain, the largest freestanding ceramic statue in the world is battling a lake of rain and melted snow creeping up Red Cedar Road.
Other areas surrounding campus aren’t faring much better.
The unusual rise of water along the Red Cedar River has left the Beal Botanical Garden, soccer complex and Kobs Field submerged and numerous area roads closed.
Meridian Township police Sgt. Randy Kindy said nobody was expecting a flood problem so early in the season. Flooding of the river generally doesn’t begin until the spring.
“There’s a lot of things that have an affect on (the water levels), none of which we can prevent,” Kindy said. “It’s one of those things that as the water recedes and flows on, it will take care of itself.”
Okemos Road and several streets and parks in Meridian Township have been closed and barricaded. Although there aren’t many safety precautions for motorists to take against the flood, Kindy said it is important drivers obey signs and recommendations.
“People have a tendency to feel that they can drive around the signs,” Kindy said. “They clearly have been placed there for a reason - safety.”
Although the rain and warm temperatures have gradually ceased, officials from the National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids said it will be days before water levels are back to normal.
The Lansing area has been hit hardest by rainfall and melting snow, said meteorologist Ernie Ostuno.
“A lot of the worst of it is over, but a few places haven’t crested yet,” he said. “If you’re downstream, you’re going to have to deal with a lot of excess water.”
The weather service reported East Lansing had reached a flood stage of 8.5 feet - 1.5 feet above the safe level - at 8 a.m. Sunday. The river should be back to 7 feet by Thursday.
Although the drop in temperatures created slick patches of ice on several roads, Ostuno said it is a blessing in disguise.
“That’s one of the things that helps slow the crests from really coming up,” he said. “The fact that it turned so cold right after the storm went past was a real help in mitigating the flooding along the rivers. By the time it melts, hopefully the river will have receded.”
On campus, others are hoping the river will recede quickly, too. Aside from traffic problems, flooding has blocked the path many Brody Complex residents use to travel to classes and caused some slight water damage to Owen Graduate Hall.
Owen manager Ronald Smith said water was discovered in a maintenance room at 6 a.m. Saturday, but had been removed by 3 p.m.
“We pumped it out,” Smith said. “We have a couple of compressors that might have to be replaced, but we were pretty lucky. The damage was minimal compared to what it could have been.”
Smith said a pipe burst near the room, probably due to the excessive water flooding from the river. Although he said this is not the worst flood he’s seen in the area, there is a lot of time left in the season to cause more problems.
“This is still pretty early in the so-called flood season,” Smith said. “We were probably overtaxed. They built up the banks of the Red Cedar, and that has alleviated it a bit, but it’s still a lot of water.”
