Record Flooding - East Central Iowa

[snoopj]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I'm very surprised there isn't more talk about it on here. I realize it's not a tornado and not a hurricane, but this is going to have a long-term impact in the local area up there, as well as having some economic ramifications in terms of something Americans have been grumbling about for quite some time, prices at the gas pump.

When major cities in a state have to pull out the "500-Year Flood Plan", you know you are in trouble.

Cedar Rapids, IA - Cedar River

AHPS Link - http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograp ... ,1,1,1,1,1

I read an article online that said that the crest could be increased to 32.9 feet due to the rain the area received yesterday (another 5-6 inches).

Iowa City, IA - Iowa River

AHPS Link - http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograp ... ,1,1,1,1,1

Des Moines, IA - Des Moines River (multiple locations) - Evacuations along the river in the city are under way

AHPS Links:

2nd Avenue, Des Moines, IA - http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograp ... ,1,1,1,1,1
SE 6th Street, Des Moines, IA - http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograp ... ,1,1,1,1,1


Media coverage:
The Gazette Online, Cedar Rapids, IA - http://www.gazetteonline.com/
KCRG, Channel 9 (ABC), Cedar Rapids, IA - http://www.kcrg.com
The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA - http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... /frontpage


I have vested interest in this location since it's in the area in which I grew up (I did not live in any of these cities, but you do visit them quite a bit when you are from a town of 400 people). Some of these areas make the "Flood of 1993" look very small. Supposedly THAT was the 500-year flood.

--j

[KWT]

Yeah I've been mentioning this with regards to the flash flood warnings...and they are still coming out at a fair rate as well...

here is what the NOAA page says, I take it is to do with this area and not somewhere else as my geographical knowleadge of the US isn't great!


...Flooding in the Midwest...
Damage from flooding appears likely to reach hundreds of millions of dollars. Roads and bridges have been shut down, crops have been damaged, and officials in some areas fear the worst flooding since 1993. Thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses have been flooded with numerous evacuations, countless roads are flooded and closed, road damage is extensive, and many levees and earthen dams have failed or are in jeopardy of failing

[dizzyfish]

I saw on the news today about evacuation in Des Moines - and went WHAT???

I feel so sorry for those people. Many will lose everything they have.

[CrazyC83]

One of the worst floods I have seen in many years. The thing about river floods is that there is nothing dramatic about it - it tends to develop slowly, and do all its damage quietly, unlike a tornado, hurricane, wind, fires or lightning.

[PurdueWx80]

the flooding has been equally as bad in wisconsin, though most of our bigger communities aren't situated on rivers, thankfully. still, I-90/94/39 is closed for a ~60-mile stretch from madison northwards, going both ways, because of river flooding. many many highways are, as well.

2 of madison's 4 lakes are experiencing record floods, the other 2 are within inches. we've had 10.4" of rain since june 1st - already a record for the month of june (but ~5" from the wettest month ever, which was last august, believe it or not). milwaukee has had their wettest month ever now.

also, our yearly precip total is more than 200% of normal - this is partially due to our insane winter, but also because of the insane week we've had.

this is going to be devastating to the farming community all over the midwest. luckily, we'll all get a chance to dry out for most of next week.

[Stephanie]

I saw where the flooding in Iowa is being described as catastrophic and I think that the whole state is being declared a disaster area.

All of that flooding in the Midwest is mind boggling.

[Ptarmigan]

I feel for those people in flood ravaged Iowa. That state had been ravaged by severe weather after severe weather. I cannot imagine what it must be like.

[NC George]

First off, let me say I feel sorry for the people affected by the flood. My part of the country had a '500 year flood' after Hurricane Floyd, so I know how it changes communities and lives.

That being said, I have a question: Being that we have been on this continent for less than 500 years, how do we really know what a 500 year flood really is? At best it's an educated guess, and we frequently guess wrong. Maybe this is a 1000 year flood, or maybe it's only a 100 year flood?

Second point: This clearly shows why everyone should have flood insurance. Just because someone says this only happens every 500 years, clearly they can be wrong.

[RL3AO]

Cedar Rapids: Old record 20 feet (1851). It just crested at 31.1 feet. Reread that because it took a while to sink in for me.

[HurricaneBill]

There have been at least 13 flood-related deaths with the floods.

8 in Michigan
3 in Indiana
1 in Iowa
1 in Minnesota

[snoopj]

Cedar Rapids: Old record 20 feet (1851). It just crested at 31.1 feet. Reread that because it took a while to sink in for me.

Exactly. That's 11 feet over the record. Not over flood stage. The previous record. Flood stage in Cedar Rapids is 12 feet. That's 19 feet over flood stage.

--j

[HarlequinBoy]

Those poor people. I would hate to have nasty muddy river water in my house. Damage will probably be upwards of $2 billion I'd think, because Cedar Rapids itself has an estimated $737 million in damage.

[Stephanie]

First off, let me say I feel sorry for the people affected by the flood. My part of the country had a '500 year flood' after Hurricane Floyd, so I know how it changes communities and lives.

That being said, I have a question: Being that we have been on this continent for less than 500 years, how do we really know what a 500 year flood really is? At best it's an educated guess, and we frequently guess wrong. Maybe this is a 1000 year flood, or maybe it's only a 100 year flood?

Second point: This clearly shows why everyone should have flood insurance. Just because someone says this only happens every 500 years, clearly they can be wrong.

Good points. If history tells us anything over the past 20 years, there can be a flood anywhere, at anytime. You don't even need to be right by the river or stream to be affected.

[JonathanBelles]

The University of Iowa's Art Campus has been abandoned due to floodwaters now.

[CrazyC83]

Cedar Rapids: Old record 20 feet (1851). It just crested at 31.1 feet. Reread that because it took a while to sink in for me.

Exactly. That's 11 feet over the record. Not over flood stage. The previous record. Flood stage in Cedar Rapids is 12 feet. That's 19 feet over flood stage.

--j

That's higher than even the flooding in New Orleans after Katrina!

[HarlequinBoy]

Cedar Rapids: Old record 20 feet (1851). It just crested at 31.1 feet. Reread that because it took a while to sink in for me.

Exactly. That's 11 feet over the record. Not over flood stage. The previous record. Flood stage in Cedar Rapids is 12 feet. That's 19 feet over flood stage.

--j

That's higher than even the flooding in New Orleans after Katrina!

That's really different though.

But 11 feet over the record is stunning.

[HarlequinBoy]

So is the flooding going to get worse because northern Missouri has gotten a ton of rain the past couple of days!!