Construction sounds echo from the backyard of Vaudie Sims’ home. Sims and a friend are working on a pipe. As they work on the pipe, another sound echoes louder and louder. That sound is the rising water of the Tippecanoe River behind Sims’ home.

Sims has lived in his Tippecanoe home for about six months. He says the river, which runs right next to his backyard, is normally at four to five feet. On Wednesday, he estimated the water level at 11 feet.

“[The location of the home] is fantastic, it’s right on the river, beautiful when it’s down where its suppose to be,” said Sims.

Like many homeowners along the river, Sims is preparing for the flood. Water pumps were installed and a makeshift pipe was built to send the water from the pump back to the river.

“We got our pumps and everything going,” said Sims. “Hopefully we’ll beat it, its gaining pretty good on us.”

While Sims is lucky the water hasn’t reached his home, other residents along the river weren’t so lucky.

Just down the street from the Sims’ house, a half a dozen homes are submerged under water. The water has covered most of the street leading down to these homes and some areas seeing flooding up to two to five feet.

Many homeowners have left their flooded homes. The Hasko family isn’t one of them. David Hasko and his father are still living inside their house, despite being surrounded in two feet of water. Hasko says the inside is dry and there is no need to leave.

“We got about another two foot before it thinks about trying to get into the house,” said Hasko. “It’s not that bad.”

For others, it is that bad.

Rachel Busz woke up at 7 this morning to find her home surrounded by water. Rather then stay, she packed a few things and left with her boyfriend, two kids, and two dogs. The water was so high, Busz and her family had to boat to dry land.

“Our cars were parked in front of our garage and I didn’t think I was going to make it out because the roads were getting kind of bad,” said Busz.

Busz and her boyfriend returned to their home Wednesday night to check up on it. Seeing her flooded home was an emotional sight for Busz.

“Every time I look at the house I want to cry because it’s our home,” said Busz. “We put a lot of effort into it and to see it go like this is kind of hard.”