Flash flooding woes in Backus

A large portion of the shoulder of State Highway 87 near the Salty Dog Restaurant on Sanborn Lake, about 2 miles northeast of Backus, washed out and slid down into the lake during Friday's massive rainstorm.

By Nancy Vogt

August 25, 2020 at 11:00 PM

Backus was hit by hard downpours on Friday, Aug. 14, that accumulated six inches in some rain gauges. For many in the area this led to flooded basements, washed out driveways and flooded business parking lots like that of the Backus Corner Store. Along Highway 87 East, torrential waters washed the shoulder alongside the road into Sanborn Lake.

1/3: Friday's rainfall nearly turned the parking lot of the Corner Store in Backus into one of Minnesota's smaller lakes. The Weather Channel's 24-hour precipitation estimate indicated almost 4" of rain had fallen in the Backus area.

2/3: Friday's rainfall turned the parking lot of the Corner Store in Backus into one of Minnesota's smaller lakes. The Weather Channel's 24-hour precipitation estimate indicated almost 4" of rain had fallen in the Backus area.

3/3: The shoulder of State Highway 87 near the Salty Dog Restaurant on Sanborn Lake, washed out and slid down into the lake during Friday's massive rainstorm.

By Nancy Vogt

Nancy Vogt is editor of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal, a weekly newspaper that covers eight communities in the Pequot Lakes-Pine River areas - from Nisswa to Hackensack and Pequot Lakes to Crosslake.

She started as editor of the Lake Country Echo in July 2006, and continued in that role when the Lake Country Echo and the Pine River Journal combined in September 2013 to become the Pineandlakes Echo Journal. She worked for the Brainerd Dispatch from 1992-2006 in various roles.

She covers Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, Lake Shore and Crosslake city councils, as well as writes feature stories, news stories and personal columns (Vogt's Notes). She also takes photos at community events.

Contact her at nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com or 218-855-5877 with story ideas or questions. Be sure to leave a voicemail message!