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Flooding in Cedar Falls, Iowa

gb93433 | Posted in General Discussion on June 11, 2008 08:35am

Probably most of you heard the news about the flooding in Cedar Falls and Waterloo. Last night young people were out until about 1:30 the morning sandbagging. We have them to thank for saving the downtown. Cork Peterson from Peterson Contractors Inc. in Reinbeck used his trucks and equipment to bring in the sand. The town pitched in and did what needed to be done. Unfortunately there is more rain expected today and tomorrow.

About 2.5 weeks ago Parkersburg (17 miles west) was hit by a tornado. It destroyed most of the town. So there has been a lot that has happened.

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  1. DougU | Jun 12, 2008 05:32am | #1

    Did that RR bridge get washed out? thought I read that?

    I caught some news about Cedar Falls last night, saw the current Cedar Falls high school football team, last years team and maybe even the team from 6 years ago pitching in on the sand bag thing.

    Your going to have to keep some of that water up there, no more room down south of ya to accommodate all of it!

    Doug

     

    1. bender2 | Jun 12, 2008 05:50am | #2

      RR bridge washed out Tuesday,  I had to work in Waterloo yesterday and today,  all I can say don't go unless you have to.  If you have to, be ready to take lots of detours.  Took an extra hour to get there just because of the flood waters in W'loo.  Just kept trying different routes until on worked.  Closed roads are a moving target,  Media reports are often hours behind.

      Unfortuneately,  the crosshairs are on us next.  We are on a different river but they all got filled up by the same batches of storms,  same problem all over.

      Stay dry,

      Chris

      1. gb93433 | Jun 12, 2008 06:38am | #3

        Tonight I went to the river and the water has subsided about 3 to 4 feet. The north side of the river is like a huge lake. Had they not sandbagged the area the water damage would have been huge in the city. Someone told me today that a dam had broken upstream at Nashua.

        1. DougU | Jun 12, 2008 06:53am | #4

          I think I'm going to go sand bag tomarrow morning for a couple hours before going to work - thats in the Coralville/Iowa City area, I saw college girls doing it on TV so that's my motivation!

          Doug

          1. JasonQ | Jun 12, 2008 10:57am | #5

            Hm.  Sweaty college girls, you say?  Road trip may be in order... : )

            I've actually been fighting an urge to head to Des Moines and find a sandbagging crew.  I just hate sitting here in Omaha watching it.  Of course, we have our own problems here - namely, that we're going to be blown INTO Iowa by these killer storms we're having.  Spent two hours in the basement tonight - 20-some tornadoes reported in the area.

            I'm getting sick of this ####.

            Jason

          2. DougU | Jun 12, 2008 01:36pm | #6

            Jason

            You had some serious tornados go through right? Heard of the boys scout camp. Are all those that were killed young boys? All we're hearing is 4 dead and 40 or 50 hurt. That's got to be a mess.

            The river that goes through my little area of the state has been out of it's banks since April, it's thundering outside right now so there is no let up, getting very old!

            Doug

          3. segundo | Jun 12, 2008 09:43pm | #9

            i'm holding out until the sweaty high school dropouts get involved!

          4. cargin | Jun 14, 2008 02:48am | #15

            jason

            namely, that we're going to be blown INTO Iowa by these killer storms we're having

            Great. Then you can become a Hawkeye fan. LOL

            Rich

          5. User avater
            BarryE | Jun 14, 2008 03:09am | #16

            1. Bulldogs2. Cyclones3. Panthers4. Hawkeyes:)

            Barry E-Remodeler

             

          6. cargin | Jun 14, 2008 03:22am | #17

            Barry

            You see Jason you have choices over here.

            Psst. Pick #4

            Rich

          7. JasonQ | Jun 14, 2008 06:55am | #20

            I *am* a Hawkeye fan.  Grew up in DSM.  Attended Drake for a coupla years as well.  : )

            Jason

          8. bender2 | Jun 12, 2008 01:37pm | #7

            Iowa City Coralville area,  we must be practically neighbors then.  I never even dreamed there'd be anybody else on here from the area.  What a surprise.

            I'm about 1/2 mile from the spillway at the Rez. I can see the river in the winter when the leaves are down, The tailwater is usually at the edge of my property in wet years,  I had 3 feet deep on the edge of the property Tuesday evening.  I didn't live here in '93 so this is the 1st time I've seen it that high here.  I can't hear the overflow yet from my deck but I expect to before it's all done.  All of this standing water has turned everything into a veritable mosquito farm.

            Have fun sightbagging er ah sandseeing I mean SANDBAGGING yeah, that was it.  Hope you are on higher ground and staying dry.

            Chris

          9. DougU | Jun 12, 2008 11:10pm | #10

            Chris

            There are several people on here from the CR, Iowa City area.

            I live in East Amana, no water problems other then all roads are closed due to water running over them. My house is semi dry, getting water in the basement but I grew up in Tama Co. where it flooded every year, water in the basement is standard there!

            The spillway did create quite a site when it went over and uncovered all the fossils, something that nobody knew anything about prior.

            Were doing some work on Lake McBride and that's getting sorta dicey.

            I gotta find another place to sandbag, nothing to see at 6am in Coralville, what's with the college girls nowdays, cant they get up early!

            Doug

             

          10. bender2 | Jun 13, 2008 04:01pm | #11

            I guess I haven't been too sociable here,  kinda only looking at the threads that piqued my intrest.  

            However, the college girls were out in force yesterday afternoon,  although they were outa sight at 6am in IC as well. Had to take a sewer machine back to rental store and bought provisions for a few days in case we get marooned.  Don't know how much longer Gilbert Street will be open on the south end.  It stayed open in '93 but it doesn't look good for the home team this year.

            Wed. the water was splashing on the pads for the I beams under the 380 bridges so I'm surprised it's still open yet.  I don't completely buy the theory that the 965 bridge will "screen" for the 380,  if there is enough debris to knock out the 965 then the 380 is only about 30 seconds later.  Hope I'm wrong if it ever gets that bad. 

            Chris

          11. DougU | Jun 14, 2008 12:54am | #12

            Chris

            I just in the last hour crossed the 380 bridge and I think I heard that it's closing down at 6:00 PM. My wife works out at  the outlet mall and she has to go in but if they close 380 then there wont be any way for her to come home, she can drive within 2 miles of the house but she cant get here!

            I think she will just have to stay out there in a motel for a week cause that's how long I think 380 is supposed to be closed and I don't see either of the two roads that go south out of Amana opening up anytime to soon.

             I don't completely buy the theory that the 965 bridge will "screen" for the 380,

            Yea, that don't sound to logical either. I'd say if one goes so goes the other. I heard that Mahaffey bride was out, not sure if that's true, I know it closed and people have to go around through Solon and down to I80.  Our painter was out at McBride working on a house and the sheriff came knocking at about 1:00 this afternoon and kicked him out and told him to turn the power off to the house, couldn't come back for probably a week.  Coralville is dumping into McBride pretty good right now and water is on the rise there. Oh well now we have an excuse for why were running behind on that job!

            You said that your above the spillway?  You gonna need any help or are you plenty high to avoid water?

            Doug

             

             

            Edited 6/13/2008 5:55 pm ET by DougU

          12. dovetail97128 | Jun 14, 2008 01:08am | #13

            Man I feel for you people back there. Also wondering whats going to happen all the way down river to the mouth at NO. Only one outlet to that whole system.
            They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

          13. bender2 | Jun 14, 2008 01:31am | #14

            Doug,

            Actually I'm 1/2 mile downstream from the spillway,  I think I'm high enough but I guess time will tell.  It looks like I have about 6 to 7 feet of water on the back of my property right now but it's a pretty good slope up to the house.  The biggest risk for me right now would be if it saturated my septic field and shut it down.  It looks like it would take another 15 to 20 feet of rise to reach it.  Walk out basement is another 5 feet or so.  I should be OK. 

            I just crossed the Butler bridge about 4pm and there was still quite a few feet to go before the river got to it.  If it stays open then we can go up to Linder and over to Prairie DuChien. 

            They are talking about closing 80 because of the Iowa River Bridge tonight.   Good thing we got lots of provisions yesterday. 

            I think I might grab my 12yo son and take him in to IC tomorrow for a lesson in "Civic Duty".

            Let me know if you need anything.

            Chris

          14. DougU | Jun 14, 2008 03:35am | #18

            I think I might grab my 12yo son and take him in to IC tomorrow for a lesson in "Civic Duty".

            That'll be good for him, stay away from the college girls though, he's way to young for them! I tried to take my 7 Y.O. but got turned away. A little hard sandbagging is good for a kid, what are they thinking?

            Let me know if you need anything.

            Thanks for the offer but I'm good.

            Doug

          15. bender2 | Jun 15, 2008 02:53am | #22

            Doug,

            Spent about 4 hrs sandbagging at the flight research facility at the airport today.  I think my son will sleep well tonight.  Pretty proud of him though,  he hung in there for the entire time.  Did what he could,  tying,  scooping,  brigade,  whatever it took.  Didn't see him loafing at all.

            I think the hormones are starting in,  lined up next to a cute college or high school girl every time,  figuring out how to make small talk,  funny to watch and it could be worse.

            Everyone worked together to git'er done and protected the underground fuel tanks as well.  They were full so if they are sealed they shouldn't pop up.  About 600 ft of levee in all.

            Lots of young people out there,  it was good to see them taking responsibility for doing their part in the world.

            Chris

          16. DougU | Jun 15, 2008 06:58am | #23

            Good for you and especially for your son! Nobody works harder then a hormone enraged teen - or 12 year old in this case.

            I sorta made up my mind that my efforts are going to go towards clean up, not much more  I can do now. I have quit a few friends in CR that will need serious help next week. God I hate clean up from a flood, what a stinking mess.

            Doug

  2. keek | Jun 12, 2008 06:42pm | #8

    I have been trying to get work done on  a project in Waterloo but haven't been able to get a full days work in due to the weather. Now our shop is flooded and we can't get to it. We are on east main st in cf. It will be quite a while before we can get in to assess the damage. It was really cool to see everyone working so hard together sand bagging. I know the clean up effort will receive the same attention.

  3. User avater
    basswood | Jun 14, 2008 05:36am | #19

    Those pictures bring back memories of last summer here in SE MN. I hope you have seen the worst of it.

    Rough weather year.

    All the best,

    Brian

    1. User avater
      larryscabnuts | Jun 15, 2008 07:57am | #24

      I live near the Mississippi 30 miles South of St Louis. All that upstream water is coming my way. I hope our levy is high enough this time. I do Live on high ground and I won't be flooded but others might though.

      1. dovetail97128 | Jun 15, 2008 08:56am | #25

        I have been wondering about the entire Mississippi valley. Do you know of any web site to go to to see potential flood information for the whole length all the way to NO?
        They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

        1. logista | Jun 15, 2008 05:02pm | #26

          http://www.weather.gov/ahps/

          1. dovetail97128 | Jun 15, 2008 06:27pm | #29

            Thank You!! I bookmarked the site.
            They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

        2. User avater
          larryscabnuts | Jun 15, 2008 05:03pm | #27

          Not off hand. The only place that may be of help would be The National Weather Service. Corp of Engineers or the Coast Guard my have some information also.

        3. User avater
          nailerman | Jun 15, 2008 05:24pm | #28

               I live in Muscatine, Iowa right on Mississippi. Has shut down half of downtown, and are considering evecating south part of town. That is were there is a bend in the river.

               Columbus Junction is just south of here, that's were Iowa and Ceadar Rivers come to gether, they are now under water.

               We are now 2 months behind on work, were just told that Iowa DOT has shut down over sized truck trafic in Iowa. We have two houses that are being panelized by Timber Roots in Ill.

               Floor systems are in and now will wait for the walls and truesses.

           

                                                                             Nailer

              

  4. HowardM | Jun 14, 2008 09:41am | #21

    Howdy all. Really surprised to know there are several BTrs from Blackhawk county on here.

    I carried many a sandbag in San Sousi area when I was a preteen and older; and those were big potato bags size not the tiny bags they give out here in California.

    Left Waterloo in '67 but have relatives still in the area. Graduated from University of Iowa so very familiar with areas.

    Thank you for the information you supplied here. Have not heard much of anything from the relatives regarding flood; just the tornado damage.

     

     

     

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