Belle Isle Boat House using 1,500 sandbags to deal with overflowing water

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Dennis Voy Dilla made it clear that this is not the norm.

"I've been here 50 years never seen it like this," he said.

Inside the Belle Isle Boat House, the Detroit River is overflowing, rushing in and making a mess.

"We had algae growing on the floors," Dilla said. "This has all been power washed and disinfected."

"It's one of those things with mother nature you can't overcome it, you just have to adjust to it," said Harry Jones, director of Challenge the Wind Youth Sailing Program.

And adjust they have, with a plank over the walkway and steps so you don't get your shoes soaked, while sandbags hold back water. Pumps in the back are trying to hold back the swelling waterway which the Army Corp of Engineers predicts could still continue to rise.

 "Talking to some of the people that have been around here a while, they said it was close to this back in the early 80s I guess," Jones said. "And they raised the sea wall back then, hoping to prepare for it, but obviously they didn't raise it enough."

According to the DNR's Ron Olson, the high water has meant 17 weddings at the boathouse have had to be cancelled or relocated. Their event planner trying to make sure no one has their special day totally ruined.

"She really worked hard finding alternate place for them," said Olson. "If you are getting married and your wedding is in two weeks and you planned a year and a half ahead of time, that can be pretty hectic. They did a fantastic job finding alternate spaces for these people."

To give you some perspective, Voy Dilla says the pool holds about one million gallons of water. So they estimate they had some 10 million gallons of water on the property.

They have 1,500 sandbags and will probably add more to get the situation under control.  
Taneesha says - although she feels broken, when she steps outside to enjoy the birds chirping and the sun on her face, they are all beautiful reminders that she's lucky to be alive.

"Be careful," she said. "I don't care how normal a person looks. Do whatever you have to do to be safe."