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[GhaleonEB]

Is anyone being impacted by this? I don't watch the news much, so I'd missed that our old hometown, Iowa City, is in large part underwater again for the first time since the 100-year floods of '93.

Photos: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=flooding&template=permgall

Video: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25064101#25064101

Nationally:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25020185/

This farmland along the Embarras River in southern Illinois flooded Tuesday when a levee broke.

For nearly a year, the tiny southwestern Wisconsin village along the lake has struggled to survive after a devastating flood. The new deluge may have sealed its fate.

Flash floods inundated the town of 625 over the weekend, just 10 months after residents worked to rebuild their homes and businesses.

The swollen Kickapoo River engulfed nearly the entire town Monday morning, forcing about 150 people to evacuate. By evening, the village was a grid of canals with cars submerged up to their windows and parking lots looking like lakes, just as it was in August.

"I can't believe this is happening again," said Liz Klekamp, 23, who said she grabbed her cat and fled Monday morning when water poured into her house. "It's really, truly sad."

I searched for "Flood" and "Flooding" and didn't see a thread for it.

 

[Tamanon]

I've seen some of the footage of houses getting washed away. Was there lead-time before the flooding for people to evacuate?

 

[Flo_Evans]

Hasn't hit us yet but we are right down the river so I am sure it's on the way.

 

[PantherLotus]

Nothing yet here in KC, but we always get a taste of the floods. I'm sure as the Missouri backs up we'll see some of it. Hopefully not, my office is in the lowest part next to the river!

 

[Flo_Evans]

What always amazes me are the people that live in flood zones. They always act surprised when it happens again. Like man we just got done rebuilding from the last one! I can't believe this is happening again!

Anyway I live on high ground so I am not that worried, but I think the local government should not allow people to rebuild in these areas.

Hell they just built some huge mega sprawl shopping center in an area that was 10ft under water in '93. How the zoning for shit like that gets approved I will never know.

 

[GhaleonEB]

What always amazes me are the people that live in flood zones. They always act surprised when it happens again. Like man we just got done rebuilding from the last one! I can't believe this is happening again!

Anyway I live on high ground so I am not that worried, but I think the local government should not allow people to rebuild in these areas.

Hell they just built some huge mega sprawl shopping center in an area that was 10ft under water in '93. How the zoning for shit like that gets approved I will never know.

Yeah. In Iowa City, there's a pretty big flood plain along the Iowa River. I lived in a house way up on a hill overlooking the flood plain and always wondered about people who lived there.

I mean, it's call a flood plain. You know, the first place the river goes when it floods. Those houses were literally under water in '93 - the water was over 10 feet deep along the plain.

And they rebuilt. :facepalm

 

[Mrbob]

An entire lake near Wisconsin Dells is now gone.

http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/19662404.html

 

[Dahellisdat]

We've been having some flooding down in suburban St. louis area. I went to school at University of Iowa and I remember water getting pretty high around the mayflower dorm this time of year every year, but I heard its getting so high they had to evacuate the dorm. I imagine that whole park there, the skate park, and that new disc golf course are entirely underwater.

 

[Captain Pants]

Yeah. In Iowa City, there's a pretty big flood plain along the Iowa River. I lived in a house way up on a hill overlooking the flood plain and always wondered about people who lived there.

I mean, it's call a flood plain. You know, the first place the river goes when it floods. Those houses were literally under water in '93 - the water was over 10 feet deep along the plain.

And they rebuilt. :facepalm

I saw the same thing happen in Saint Maries, Idaho. The whole valley is a maybe a foot or two above the level of the Saint Joe River, and once every 5 or 10 years the valley becomes a lake, and people still build there. I don't understand why people build houses in areas that they know are right in the path of floods/hurricanes/volcanos/etc.

 

[Kauza]

I'm supposed to be heading out to Iowa City for my buddy's wedding on Saturday. I guess I can cancel my airline reservation and take a boat.

Seriously though, I used to work at the University of Iowa's hotel in the student union, and one of my old cowokrers told me that they're putting out sandbags because they think the union's going to flood.

It's going to be an interesting week next week.

 

[Tarazet]

Send some of that water over here to California, we could use it..

 

[Mrbob]

Here is a report on the rainfall in southeastern wisconsin from the weekend:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=mkx&storyid=15255&source=0

7 to 9 inches of rain in some spots...insane. Records were shattered.

 

[Wiggum2007]

My sister is taking classes at the University of Iowa right now, she said it was pretty bad but I hadn't seen any pictures or anything yet. I'm in northern Iowa and my bedroom in the basement has become a swimming pool

I believe the last estimation I saw on the news was that we've gotten 11+ inches of rain in the past week, with more to come starting late tomorrow through friday...

 

[Squirrel Killer]

The Flood of '93 got me laid. Woo woo!

Odd thing was... it never really impacted me too much, until I had to drive to Cedar Rapids for an early morning plane flight. I woke up to leave, and heard that overnight, all of the connecting roads between CR and IC had been closed. I used my knowledge of the back roads from biking and guessed a route that might still be open. Despite water lapping at my wheels for one stretch of road, I found a way and just made my flight.

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

I live in Central Iowa and a lot of farmland has been turned into ponds. Currently, it is expected for Des Moines to be flooded as the levees are no longer sufficient.

Food prices are going to be even worse.

 

[eznark]

Here is a report on the rainfall in southeastern wisconsin from the weekend:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=mkx&storyid=15255&source=0

7 to 9 inches of rain in some spots...insane. Records were shattered.

more is coming this week to SE WI also. Good thing my folks go their sump pump fixed

 

[GhaleonEB]

My sister is taking classes at the University of Iowa right now, she said it was pretty bad but I hadn't seen any pictures or anything yet. I'm in northern Iowa and my bedroom in the basement has become a swimming pool

I believe the last estimation I saw on the news was that we've gotten 11+ inches of rain in the past week, with more to come starting late tomorrow through friday...

Some of the dorms on the way into town (Mayflower) have underground parking lots. In '93 all the cars inside were literally under water. From the pics I just saw, that's about to be the case again. Time to re-evaluate that parking garage.

 

[GhaleonEB]

So, um. Cedar Rapids, one of the largest cities in Iowa (that's a very relative measure, BTW) is having issues.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25020185/

10,000 ordered out in mandatory evacuation.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver said storm and water damage to infrastructure will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, as dozens of bridges have been damaged or destroyed. Nine rivers were at or near record levels, he said.

Rain was expected to taper off Friday, but then another storm front was likely to move in by Sunday night.

 

[Wiggum2007]

There was also a tornado at a boy scout camp last night over in western Iowa, killed 4 kids, one of whom lived near here, another 40-50 people injured. These storms suck.

 

[Baker]

I should watch the news more.

I live in Illinois and my sister lives 5 minutes from Iowa City and this is the first I've heard of massive flooding.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Another survivor of the floods of '93 here. Lived in Ames at the beginning and Des Moines later on. Ames got hammered, couldn't go home for three days, and then moved to Des Moines that summer only to lose our water supply. Yeah, that was great.

I live in Texas now, where we could really use some water, but my family still lives in Iowa. I here it's worse this time out, and my sister in Cedar Rapids has been giving me updates. It's gotten really bad there. I heard a train bridge collapsed earlier, and the ground is so saturated that the trees are falling over in the wind.

I should watch the news more.

I live in Illinois and my sister lives 5 minutes from Iowa City and this is the first I've heard of massive flooding.

Yes. You really should watch the news more.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

It's not really a 100 year flood if it happens every 15 years right?

I was in South St. Louis in '93. It was fun getting around in boats like it was venice or something and my house was too high to be flooded

 

[Chumly]

The shit just hit the fan in Cedar Rapids Iowa where im living for the summer. The flood has surpassed the 1/500 year flood plain. Its crazy because they are saying that the river is possible 8.5 FEET above the alltime recorded history level. The previous record was 20 feet and its at around 28.5. Its completely devasting for cedar rapids because most of the areas being shown that are flooded have NEVER EVER been flooded in history.

 

[Chumly]

There was also a tornado at a boy scout camp last night over in western Iowa, killed 4 kids, one of whom lived near here, another 40-50 people injured. These storms suck.

One of my friends dad had to tell the parents of the kids that died that they kids were dead : / .

I guess there was a building that about 50 scouts were taking shelter in and the tornado made a direct hit on the building and actually picked up a pickup truck and threw it into the building. They think that the pickup flew through the building and hit a brick fireplace which collapsed and killed the four boys. My friends dad said it was a miracle that only 4 boys died and doesnt even know how it was possible for everyone else to make it through.

 

[The Lamonster]

It's not really a 100 year flood if it happens every 15 years right?

I was in South St. Louis in '93. It was fun getting around in boats like it was venice or something and my house was too high to be flooded

shit was crazy yo

 

[deadbeef]

So, um. Cedar Rapids, one of the largest cities in Iowa (that's a very relative measure, BTW) is having issues.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25020185/

10,000 ordered out in mandatory evacuation.

Is that downtown Cedar Rapids? Holy cow.

 

[Mrbob]

How are the midwesterners holding up tonight?

I live in east central wisconsin, and we have been pounded tonight. 4 tornado warnings in the span of an hour (thankfully no major damage), but the downpour of rain isn't stopping. We didn't get too hard last weekend, but tonight we are getting the full force. It is still pouring nearly four hours later. On my trip home I hit multiple areas of massive flooding, rivers are overpouring everwhere. Craziest summer weather I have ever seen.

 

[AntoneM]

I hope anyone impacted by this flood comes out of it more of less ok. I mean that in the physical self. the home is likely lost forever. :'(

Anyone who has not experienced a flood of their house (alright my parents house... and no, it was not on a flood plain) cannot truly know the amount of damages that is left behind. a very flooded house is pretty much uninhabitable afterward, unless you like the smell of massive amounts of moss/mold every spring.

 

[Phobophile]

How are the midwesterners holding up tonight?

I live in east central wisconsin, and we have been pounded tonight. 4 tornado warnings in the span of an hour (thankfully no major damage), but the downpour of rain isn't stopping. We didn't get too hard last weekend, but tonight we are getting the full force. It is still pouring nearly four hours later. On my trip home I hit multiple areas of massive flooding, rivers are overpouring everwhere. Craziest summer weather I have ever seen.

There isn't jack shit in the Chicagoland area. All that rain was supposed to hit us today but it swerved north, it looks. We'll probably catch the tail end of it tomorrow.

 

[demon]

tons of rain lately in Madison. I'm getting pretty sick of it, it's depressing me.

 

[GhaleonEB]

This is the dorm my wife lived in when she went to college in Iowa City. There's a four-lane road right in front of it, and a park accross the street (City Park). A cookie if you can spot them.

 

[Tarazet]

It's just sick how nature works sometimes.. over here in the Bay Area we're in the middle of a drought and wildfires have been popping up like crazy, two huge ones in the Santa Cruz mountains in the space of two weeks..

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Not to take anything away from the crisis, but people should know that's a picture of the Cedar River as it passes downtown Cedar Rapids, at least two thirds of the water in that shot is there normally. The buildings in the middle are on an island.

Here's a non-flood shot for reference.

 

[grandjedi6]

There isn't jack shit in the Chicagoland area. All that rain was supposed to hit us today but it swerved north, it looks. We'll probably catch the tail end of it tomorrow.

Liar! It just hit us :/

Though it may still not be enough to flood over the rivers (though Des Plains in the 'burbs is supposely getting pretty fucking close.... again)

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Kansas has had a large amount of wheat wash away, but nowhere near as bad as last year when more then 30% of crops were lost.

Harvest season has begun so the rains won't be anywhere near as damaging this year.

 

[Escape Goat]

I'm in one of the disaster counties just south of Indianapolis. It wasn't too bad where I am but they had I65 blocked off from indy south last weekend and the many of the streets were flooded. I took pictures of the pond behind my apartment after it went down. You can see where it deposited all the debris and how high it flooded. Pretty crazy.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Not to take anything away from the crisis, but people should know that's a picture of the Cedar River as it passes downtown Cedar Rapids, at least two thirds of the water in that shot is there normally. The buildings in the middle are on an island.

Here's a non-flood shot for reference.

Right, but you can see the areas around it - over 100 blocks are under water. The comparison shot is useful because you can see three road bridges going accross the river are now underwater. 0_0

They evacuated a hospital yesterday. Saw a clip online this morning, I think it's from the Today show: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25136780#25136742

 

[snacknuts]

I'm in one of the disaster counties just south of Indianapolis. It wasn't too bad where I am but they had I65 blocked off from indy south last weekend and the many of the streets were flooded. I took pictures of the pond behind my apartment after it went down. You can see where it deposited all the debris and how high it flooded. Pretty crazy.

I'm on the very southern edge of Marion Co. So far the worst thing I've had to deal with is a little bit of water coming into my downstairs. I'll have to replace the carpet, but that's not really a big deal. Needed replaced anyway.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I'm on the very southern edge of Marion Co. So far the worst thing I've had to deal with is a little bit of water coming into my downstairs. I'll have to replace the carpet, but that's not really a big deal. Needed replaced anyway.

That's a good attitude to have. It could always have been worse.

Des Moines begins voluntary evacuation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Officials in Iowa's capital city urged residents threatened by the rising Des Moines River to evacuate on Friday, calling the situation "extremely dangerous."

"We are commencing a voluntary evacuation," Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said, predicting the evacuation would be complete by the evening. "We think that the levels are going to be at or very close to levee height."

Police Chief Judy Bradshaw said "very significant areas of our city" of more than 250,000 that abut the river will be evacuated because of the flood threat.

The evacuation is voluntary at this point, but "as the circumstances change, however, this may become mandatory," Bradshaw said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080613...acuation_dc;_ylt=AnEk9LSgREyYCVK5SbEidf6s0NUE

Edit: up to 400 city blocks flooded now.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Right, but you can see the areas around it - over 100 blocks are under water. The comparison shot is useful because you can see three road bridges going accross the river are now underwater.

Like I said, I wasn't trying to take anything away from the crisis, it's just that to people who don't know downtown CR, it's not immediately apparent in that picture that a river runs through it.

 

[Phobophile]

Liar! It just hit us :/

Though it may still not be enough to flood over the rivers (though Des Plains in the 'burbs is supposely getting pretty fucking close.... again)

Yeah it woke me up at 12:30 AM and I had to close my windows. Still nothing severe. I don't even think that the Fox River's close to being flooded.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Like I said, I wasn't trying to take anything away from the crisis, it's just that to people who don't know downtown CR, it's not immediately apparent in that picture that a river runs through it.

I realize that - which is why I said it was helpful to have the comparison.

 

[Brian Fellows]

I live about 12 miles from the Illinois River and 9 miles from the Sangamon River but it would take a flood much worse than the 93 flood to get us here. The small town just to the north on the Sangamon has started their sandbagging though.

 

[Kauza]

Heading into the flood zone in Cedar Rapids/Iowa City tomorrow.

Wish me luck! It's going to be an interesting experience.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

I realize that - which is why I said it was helpful to have the comparison.

Oops, my bad. I guess I'm just bitter that still no one has asked me how the Flood of '93 got me laid.

 

[Kauza]

Oops, my bad. I guess I'm just bitter that still no one has asked me how the Flood of '93 got me laid.

My goodness, how ever did the flood of '93 get you laid?

EDIT:

On a different note, I've just been informed by my friends that the 30 minute trip from Iowa City to the Cedar Rapids airport, which I must make tomorrow, is now going to take 6 hours due to all of the road closures. For those who know the area, after leaving the airport we will now have to go all the way to Waterloo, west all the way to Des Moines, and then back east along I-80 to Iowa City. Absolutely insane.

Here's a map showing the closures: http://hb.511ia.org/main.jsf

 

[Goldrusher]

Hopefully the gaffers in the area are ok and without damage.

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

I used to drive that street on my way to work just last week!

I never got to see what has happened to the downtown and surrounding areas since the floods. We just evacuated in time and moved to higher ground (Urbandale).

Anyway, it took me 1 hour and 40 minutes to drive home, which would normally take 30 minutes or so. Many major roads are shut down, leaving only just a small handful of ways to get out of the city and unsurprisingly, they are jammed.

 

[Meier]

It's weird.. here in Chicago, there's absolutely nothing at all even slightly resembling what other parts of the Midwest are getting.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I was going to let the thread die, but this pic blew me away.

Those are houses that got washed downriver, collecting against the bridge.