MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Mississippi River continues to rise with the City of Muscatine Department of Public Works (DPW) expected to extend the Mississippi Drive closure back to Pine Street starting sometime Friday (May 31) afternoon or evening.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Davenport is forecasting that the Mississippi River will crest at 24 feet Sunday before starting to slowly recede on Tuesday. The Mississippi River was at 23.52 feet (8:15 a.m. observation) according to the Muscatine gauge.
“At some point today (Friday) we will be closing Mississippi Drive from Iowa to Pine,” Brian Stineman, Director of DPW, said. “The detour will be in effect until the river recedes to a point where we can begin to clean the Iowa intersection.”
Stineman added that the City will hold off as long as they can before shutting down Mississippi Drive from Iowa to Pine.
DPW staff is also keeping watch on Washington Street at the Fillmore Street intersection where water begins to flow back onto the street at around 24 feet. Washington Street from the bridge over Mad Creek to Fillmore was closed for a week in early May as the river crested at 24.33 feet.
The NWS is forecasting a less active weather pattern through next week with trends favoring below normal rainfall heading into mid-June.
Heavy rain that fell across the Wapsipinicon and Rock River basins Wednesday led to higher river level forecasts south of LeClaire. The most likely crest range at Muscatine, according to NWS predictions, is 23.7 to 24.3 feet Saturday to Sunday.
Over 2,000 labor hours have been accumulated by the Department of Public Works in flood related activities since early March. The estimated total cost, including labor, equipment, material, and contractor costs, is over $73,000 with many more weeks left of flood related activities.
FLOOD ASSISTANCE
The Muscatine County Emergency Management Agency encourages those affected by recent flooding in Muscatine County to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
There are four ways to register for disaster assistance:
Online at: www.disasterassistance.gov.
Visit a state/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). Go online to www.FEMA.gov/DRC to find the nearest location.
Call 800-621-3362, voice/VP/711. Multilingual operators are on duty. TTY 800-462-7585. Phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time.
Download the FEMA app on your smartphone at www.fema.gov/mobile-app.
Information on Iowa’s flooding and disaster assistance can be found at floods2019.iowa.gov.
SBA OPENS BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER
The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Iowa Small Business Development Center have opened an SBA Business Recovery Center in Davenport to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by severe storms and flooding that began March 12, 2019. The Center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays at Eastern Iowa Community College located at 101 West Third Street, Davenport, IA 52801.
SBA Disaster Loan Assistance
SBA Fact Sheet – Disaster Loans
SPRING 2019 FLOOD RECAP
- A wet fall followed by heavy snowfall this past winter in the Upper Mississippi River Valley contributed to the Spring Flood of 2019.
- The Mississippi River has crested four times since March 15 when the river first exceeded flood stage (16-feet). The river rose and fell on four different occasions this spring due to snowmelt and rainfall, cresting at 19.34 feet March 18, 20.73 feet March 25, 21.95 feet April 10, and 24.33 feet May 3. After falling to 17.7 feet on May 18, the river level has risen to 18.45 feet on May 24. The river is now on its fifth rise of the spring.
- In 2019, the Mississippi River has been above flood stage (16 feet) since March 15, a consecutive stretch of 75 days which breaks the previous record set during the 1993 flood of 55 days (June 10-August 4).
- The 1993 flood actually had the top two stretches of consecutive days above flood stage (16 feet) separated by a three-week period below flood stage … 44 days (April 5 through May 19) and 55 days (June 10 through August 4).
- In 2019, the Mississippi River was at or above moderate flood stage (18 feet) for 61 consecutive days (March 16-May 16), and 71 of the last 73 days. The river returned to moderate flood stage May 18.
- In 2019, the Mississippi River at Muscatine was at or above major flood stage (20 feet) for 50 consecutive days (March 23-May 11). The old mark was 32 days set in 1993 (June 27 -July 28). The river returned to major flood stage on May 28.
- The 1993 flood had a total of 103 days above flood stage during a stretch of 121 days that lasted from April 5 through August 4.
APRIL CRESTS
- The April 9 crest of 21. 95 feet was the seventh highest in Muscatine history and the third highest April flood crest. In 1965, following another wet fall and snowy winter, the Mississippi River crested at 24.81 feet on April 29, a level that held the record for the highest crest until the 1993 flood. The second highest April flood came in 2001 when the river crested at 23.50 feet on April 25, the sixth highest crest overall.
- Six of the top 10 and 14 of the top 25 Mississippi River crests have occurred during the month of April. Also in the top 25 were three in July including the record 25.61 foot crest on July 9, 1993, two in June including the third highest crest at 24.42 feet on June 17, 2008, two in March, three in May including the fourth highest at 24.33 feet on May 3, 2019, and two in October including last year’s 20.73 foot crest on October 13, 2018.
Roads (Downtown Muscatine Detour Map)
- Mississippi Drive closed between Mulberry Avenue and Iowa Avenue.
- 2nd Street closed at Mad Creek.
- Flood detours reinstated on May 26.
- River Road closed from Cannon Avenue to Sherman Street.
Recreation
- Riverside Park remains closed.
- Running River Trail System is closed between Cannon Street and Sherman Street, and partially closed through Riverside Park.
Facilities
- The floodwall at Mulberry and Mississippi Drive (Structure #1) installed.
- The floodwall at 2nd Street and Mad Creek (Structure #2) installed.
Events
- No events have been impacted at this time.
Other Measures
Seep pumps have been set, and appropriate gates closed in various low-lying areas of the city.
Sandbags
The City of Muscatine will provide empty sandbags to residents of Muscatine upon request. It will be the responsibility of residents / business owners to obtain their own sand and fill the sandbags. Empty sandbags can be picked up 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Department of Public Works, 1459 Washington Street, Muscatine.
Additional Information:
Flood Safety Tips and Resources https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
Iowa 2019 flooding www.floods.2019.iowa.gov
Severe Weather Awareness Week and links to local NWS websites www.beready.iowa.gov
National Weather Service – Quad Cities www.weather.gov/dvn/
Levee Breach Study - http://www.muscatineiowa.gov/745/Levee-Breach-Study