Ten years ago, the rain would not stop.
Residents woke up that Saturday morning in early June to water rising in the streets and within hours, it was coming inside their homes.
Cars were washed away. Homes were destroyed. Police cars were swept away and government records and offices destroyed. Residents left their homes in boats. Some were never able to return.
The devastation of the 2008 flood hit the entire county, from Edinburgh, where residents were recovering from a tornado only days earlier, to Franklin, where downtown was impassable, to Bluff Acres in the Center Grove area where floodwaters filled basements to the brim.
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In the 10 years since, millions has been spent on recovery and improvements, meant to help prevent flooding in the future.
And more is left to be done.
Drainage has become a huge topic of concern for residents and for local governments.
When roads have been rebuilt, larger drainage pipes have been installed below. Studies have been done on what will help communities best drain water, and plans are in place to do millions more in projects in the coming years.
Dozens of homes have been torn down in areas that are prone to flooding, removing the possibility of more damage and giving water a place to go when the heavy rain falls.
Entire neighborhoods have been changed.
What used to be a small neighborhood of tight-knit neighbors in Franklin has become an urban forest. Yards of grass dot a Center Grove area neighborhood where homes once stood. And more homes are coming down still, with Greenwood buying homes that are prone to flooding.
Johnson County is not the same.
Residents have moved. Homes that stood for decades are gone. Buildings have been demolished, left vacant for years at a time and remodeled.
But the memories of that day, and the long recovery after, are still strong for the people who experienced it.
They remember trying so hard to keep the water out as more and more rushed in. They remember being taken away from their homes in boats and military vehicles. They remember the murky smell and the squish of the carpet after the floodwaters had finally receded and mold set in. They piled most of their belongings on the curb, to be hauled away.
And they remember all the helpers.
Neighbors offered up their sump pumps. Helping agencies handed out water and meals. Volunteers signed up in droves to remove drywall and carpeting, and then put in new and help residents rebuild.
When the rain falls, many residents still feel that twinge of panic. What if it happens again?
But with work that has been done, and that is planned for the future, local officials said they are trying to avoid ever having that level of devastation strike again.
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Here is a look at a damage assessment from June 16, 2008 — nine days after the flood:
Homes: As many as 1,200 homes could have been damaged by flooding.
County-wide: At least some damage was reported in about two-thirds of the county.
Waterways: A four-mile stretch of Honey Creek was clogged with debris, along with some spots along Sugar Creek and Youngs Creek.
Hospital: Johnson Memorial Hospital was operating out of about 75 percent of its building and was expected to be back to normal within two months.
Government: Damage to county and city government buildings is estimated to total about $10 million, which did not include what expenses, if any, insurance could cover.
Government vehicles: At least 10 county-owned vehicles were damaged in the flooding or in rescue efforts, along with 20 vehicles in Franklin.
Parks: Damage to parks in Greenwood, Franklin and Prince’s Lakes, including trails that were washed away, debris cleanup and damage to a pedestrian bridge, was estimated at $250,000.
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