GENESSEE, Idaho -- People living in Genesee, 14 miles south of Moscow, had to fill sand bags to protect their property after heavy rains overwhelmed small streams and caused some flooding in Latah County Tuesday afternoon.

The water rose so quickly most residents didn't even have a chance to move their cars and trucks to higher ground.

“My brother-in-law and his car I said ‘Al you better move it’ and sure enough there was water inside his car,” Melanie Roach said.

For the first time since 1996 Cow Creek ran over its banks and swept across a Genesee neighborhood.

“A lot of rain and then the creek crested and all of a sudden everything started going underwater. It was a mess,” Roach said.

The National Weather Service says more than an inch of rain fell in the Genesee area producing more runoff than Cow Creek could handle.

On Wednesday neighbors were using pumps to draw water out of their basements and low lying spots on their lots.

Residents are now hoping Tuesday's surge of water has scoured enough sediment out of the creek bed so they don't have to worry about more flooding in the near future.