Record flooding swamps Iowa

Heavy rain has led to record river flooding in northeastern Iowa, with several locations along the Cedar and Shell Rock Rivers either at or nearing all-time record high crests.

Cedar Rapids, the state's second-largest city, is awaiting its turn as the big mass of floodwater surges downstream. With the Cedar River rapidly rising, the mayor of Cedar Rapids promised residents Friday that the city would not be caught "off guard" like it was during 2008 flooding.

The river should crest at 25.3 feet on Monday — well below the June 2008 crest of 31 feet — but still the city's second-highest level on record, the National Weather Service said. Records go back to at least the early 1850s.

Mayor Ron Corbett said there was still time for residents to protect their homes and businesses from flooding caused by the Cedar River, which is expected to crest sometime Monday.

"We still have three days," he said. "We can save a lot in three days."

More rain fell Thursday night and earlier Friday, and the weather service said the threat for flash flooding remained high through the day. Noting the possibility of even more rain in the area, forecasters said at least moderate flooding was likely in several areas.

The town of Osage reached a record high crest Friday and the town of Shell Rock should reach a record high crest Saturday.

In Cedar Rapids, Corbett said the community was better prepared for this week's flooding than it was in 2008, when flooding dislocated more than 18,000 people and caused more than $2 billion in damage to the city.

"We were caught off guard a little bit last time," he said at a Friday morning news conference. "And this time we’re not."

Portable dams, barriers and pumps were being deployed in Cedar Rapids. Though the water isn't expected to rise as high as in 2008, street flooding was expected in several areas, including the downtown core. The city said 14,000 sandbags have been ordered for public use and officials intend to close several low-lying roads.

"We're very concerned about the downtown," said Mike Goldberg, director of Linn County Emergency Management.

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Corbett called on residents to be proactive and to ask the city and volunteers for help while there is still time to prepare.

"I'm sure the emotions are running high and swinging on an hourly basis," he said. "There may be a feeling of desperation, of throwing your hands up. We want to assure you that you’re not alone. The community's here to help you."

Elsewhere, authorities were spending Friday mobilizing resources to handle flooding that has already forced evacuations in several communities throughout northeastern Iowa.

Cedar Falls officials have been talking to residents in low-lying neighborhoods about the rising waters and their option to evacuate. The dike system protecting downtown Cedar Falls was expected to hold, but Public Safety Director Jeff Olson said it will be patrolled. The weather service said the river was expected to crest at 99.8 feet Saturday afternoon — a little more than 2 feet below the record crest of 102.1 feet in June 2008.

Waterloo has closed several storm sewer floodgates, activated lift stations and put up flood control walls at several spots downtown. Several downtown bridges may close, and the fire department has been lining up extra boats for water rescues.

Another eastern Iowa river, the Shell Rock, also has forced evacuations as it left its banks.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Friday marks the highest the Shell Rock River has been since the federal agency began monitoring the water body in 1953.

The latest provisional reading is 21.25 feet, a full foot over the 2008 level, said Clint Vonschepen, a hydrologic technician with USGS.

Shell Rock Mayor Larry Young said Friday morning the Cherry Street bridge, the main vein north or south of town for 20 miles, will remain open for at least the next hour.

"What I'm worried about is people getting their medications," Young said.

The closest pharmacy is in Waverly, northeast of town. But if the bridge closes, southern residents would have to drive far out of their way, maneuvering around road closures.

In Waverly, the southeast portion of town has been evacuated because of floodwater from the overflown Cedar River, according to police.

Waverly Police Capt. Don Eggleston said people were originally told to evacuate their homes by Friday afternoon, but everyone was out by Thursday night when water levels rose more quickly than expected, breaching the river to the east.

Waverly’s dam, which was reconstructed in 2011 according to the Iowa Water Coalition, spared the northwest and southwest portions of the city from flooding Thursday.

In Greene, deputy city clerk Melinda Ritter said Friday that the home she is selling was surrounded by water — but so far, the water hasn't seeped inside. She said she spent a restless Thursday night at her new home at a higher elevation, away from the danger.

Clarksville Police Chief Barry Mackey said that on Thursday night, water overtopped the levee that runs down the east side of the Shell Rock River, just west of the Butler County community of about 1,400 people. Several homes were surrounded by water, including his, Mackey said, speaking from the home of another police officer that sits on higher ground.

City clerk Larry Betts said about one-third of the town is flooded. Water levels vary from a few inches to several feet deep, he said.

"There’s inches across the lawn up to I cannot see the lights on top of the garage," he said.

Floods caused several highway closures Friday, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.

The Mason City Globe Gazette reported that Charles City officials were urging residents to stop using water because of a pump failure at the city wastewater plant. The failure makes it difficult for the plant to keep up with new wastewater. The city set up portable toilets around town, the newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, Ames experienced up to 5 inches of rain overnight, according to a city news release, leading to extensive street flooding and a rise in river levels.

Contributing: The Associated Press