Area Rivers continue to rise

Area Rivers continue to rise
Hunter
3/14/19

The City of Iowa City has closed the Iowa River Trail at the Highway 6 underpass, just south of Riverfront Crossings Park, due to flooding.

The warmest temperatures of the month have resulted in rapid snow melt and with the ground being already saturated, runoff is causing issues in low-lying areas.

The Iowa River is already in minor flood stage in Lone Tree, which recorded levels at 16. 94 feet Thursday morning; it’s expected to crest overnight at 17.6 feet, still considered minor flood stage.

Upriver in Marengo, they’re already in moderate flood stage and are expecting a crest just into major flood stage, at 19.1 feet in the early hours of Friday.

The Cedar River at Cedar Rapids isn’t supposed to get into minor flood stage until sometime Sunday and a crest just into moderate flood stage at 14.1 feet is expected Tuesday.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is reporting that heavy rainfall, fast snow melt, ice jams and flooding is causing several wastewater discharges from city treatment plants, mostly in the northwest and west portions of the state. Some residents are experiencing wastewater and stormwater backups into basements, and the DNR says north central and northeast Iowa may be experiencing the same in the next few days.

East of us, the Mississippi River at Rock Island is expected to go into flood stage Friday and quickly hit major levels by Sunday. And the Rock River in Moline is already at major flood stage. The projected crest of 16.3 feet Sunday is just below the record 16.5 feet level.