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6 A.M. Iowa Flood Update

By Andy ⋅ June 15, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Governor Chet Culver . Lt. Governor Patty Judge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2008

Contact: State Emergency Operations Center
(515) 323-4222

06:00 AM UPDATE ON FLOODING IN IOWA

JOHNSTON - Below is the latest update on flooding in Iowa.

I. AREAS OF CONCERN
*NEW* Waterloo
Due to overnight severe weather in Northeastern Iowa, there are power
outages in Black Hawk County.

Des Moines
750 National Guard soldiers are currently deployed in Des Moines.

Last night a levee breach in Des Moines’ Birdland Park Neighborhood resulted
in the evacuation of more than 200 homes.

North High School is flooded.

Reported numbers in shelters by American Red Cross: Harding Middle School,
40 people; Callanan School, 5 people

Coralville
Members of the Coast Guard Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) assisted
with getting recreational boats and three people out of the water in
Coralville.

Iowa City
Members of the Coast Guard Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
transported waste water treatment employees to the facility, and assisted
transporting employees to the animal care facility in Iowa City.

Local officials have ordered mandatory evacuations for several areas of Iowa
City with more than 200 homes affected.

350 National Guard soldiers are currently deployed in Iowa City and local
officials continue to work to protect critical structures within the area,
including filling and delivering sandbags.

A shelter has been established at the Johnson County Fairgrounds.

Columbus Junction/Fredonia
Water is rising behind the IC & E Railroad Bridge located downstream of the
confluence of the Iowa and Cedar Rivers.

River levels have forced local officials to order an evacuation of the
entire town of Fredonia, and lower portions of Columbus Junction.

Nursing Homes residents in Columbus Junction have been relocated to
Washington, Iowa.

Ottuwma
Army Corps of Engineers will slow the Red Rock release rate from 115,000 CFS
to 100,000 CFS. This change means that the water will stay at the 21.3 for
12 - 14 days.

Ottumwa will continue to build up the berm around the water treatment
facility. Sandbagging efforts are going smoothly.

At 7:00 PM Saturday the state was 19.3 feet.

The river will continue rising to near 21.3 feet by early Sunday afternoon
then begin falling.

Oskaloosa
Officials continue to monitor the levees around the water treatment plant.

At 9:30 PM Saturday the stage was 24.3 feet.

The river will continue to fall to a stage of 23.5 feet by Monday morning.

Oakville
Earlier this evening, Des Moines County Emergency Management reported a
levee break at Oakville in southeastern Louisa County. The area south in
Louisa County and into Des Moines County to Quawka was projected to be
inundated within 3 hours.

Local officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation for the community.

Cedar Rapids
There is still a mandatory evacuation order in effect for parts of Cedar
Rapids, which affects more than 20,000 people.

Concerns still remain for Cedar Rapids water treatment plant. Capacity has
been reduced to 25% percent. City officials are asking people not to take
showers or wash laundry, and to conserve water however they can.

IMPORTANT: Do not enter areas affected by flooding unless instructed by
emergency personnel to do so. This includes, but is not limited to areas
subject to both mandatory and voluntary evacuations.

Remember: Public safety is everyone’s job. Evacuate means evacuate!

via Jay Wagner

Tags: iowa flood, update

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