EAST MOLINE, Illinois – Campbell’s Island is seeing an extra seven inches of water after Sunday night’s rainfall. People on the island haven’t seen a break from the water in over a month.
Rain showers on top of flood water make for a never-ending cycle.
Mike Dawson is known as “The Captain” on the island because he knows how to stay afloat during times like these.
“If something really bad happens they call Captain and have him pull them out,” Dawson explains.
He’s followed by his faithful companion and yellow lab, Buster Brown.
“He’s 13, he’s seen lots of floods,” says Dawson.
Dawson is the leader every neighbor can depend on. After Sunday night’s rainfall, first mate Bob Garrison asked The Captain to navigate him to his home to check on the damage.
“It’s coming up,” says Dawson. “I mean it came up seven inches in the last eight hours.”
Thanks to security cameras near Dawson’s house he was able to capture a time lapse video of his basement stairs - the water climbing up another flight in one night.
Once they reach Garrison’s front steps they try to collect anything that may have floated away overnight.
This is day 37 of Dawson boating in and out of his home, and with the weather forecast the rest of the week, it doesn’t look like they’ll be catching a break.
“I’ve been boating in and out for six weeks now and I’ll tell you that gets really old,” Dawson comments. “It’s rough, I mean it’ll test the toughest people."
Residents on the island say they are expecting an extra six to eight inches by the end of the week.
