Floods of 2008

It is impossible to have a news blog about Des Moines and Iowa without noting that this is one of those years in which floods will be listed near the top of the historical record. AroundDesMoines.com is not able to provide on-the-scene reporting or to list the latest warnings. Nevertheless, past posts have looked at revisions to flood plain maps around Fourmile Creek and at water flowing from Saylorville Dam, albeit in terms of reducing the flow. Even without memories of the 1993 flood, with all the rivers and creeks that flow through the city and the state, it is important for residents to understand the geology of the area.

The 1993 flood, while extensive, no doubt lingers more widely in memories due to the consequences. Fifteen years ago flood waters forced the shut-down of Des Moines’ municipal water works for almost two weeks. Millions of dollars were spent afterwards to put up massive gates around the water works and to add other flood-control measures along the Des Moines and the Raccoon Rivers. In a story that ran on KCCI-TV during April 2007 flooding, the then-general manager of Des Moines Water Works said closing those gates has become routine and takes about half an hour. For all the people who are being evacuated from their homes and are trying to relocate their businesses, this year’s floods will go down in memory. For people in Mason City and other Iowa communities that have had their municipal water supply cut off, this year’s flooding will go down in memory. Fortunately, for most of us in Des Moines, this will not be a year to remember in personal terms.

Looking for additional information on the Internet I came across a site that shows flood information based on U.S. Geological Survey streamgages. For the Des Moines River below where the Raccoon River enters into it, the stage at 5:00 a.m. on June 10, 2008, is 30.72 feet and flood stage is 24 feet. The drainage area is 9,879 square miles and the current flow is 65,700 cubic feet per second.

As is stated on almost every television newscasts in recent days, remember it is highly dangerous to drive through flood waters. Even a foot of water is said to be strong enough to sweep a car off the road. In addition, walking through flood waters can be dangerous. Manhole covers may be missing, rusty nails can be hidden, and electricity travels too easily through water.

There are online resources for current closures and detours. For roadways throughout Iowa, check out the Department of Transportation’s website. For bicycle trails around Des Moines, the city’s Park and Recreations department has closure information. For buses, DART has information on the #90 southern express route detour due to Fleur Drive flooding.

M.R. Field writes about local events for AroundDesMoines.com.