It’s been a challenging season for residents who live along the upper Mississippi River. Snowmelt from a record-setting winter snowfall in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan sent a deluge of water into the Mississippi River this spring, flooding several cities and towns. AccuWeather experts warn it will take some time for the water levels to recede fully.
The floodwaters have put cities like Davenport, Iowa, on the national map. And that’s because the Mississippi River in Davenport has been well above its crest. As of 4 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, the river in Davenport was just over 21.5 feet above the crest — which is within the top seven historic crests the city has ever experienced. Residents in Davenport and surrounding riverfront towns, such as Buffalo, Iowa, have evacuated their homes as the river levels continue to rise. Properties have even been transformed into personal islands for some.
As the floodwaters flow into these towns, residents are reminded of the devastating floods that occurred just four years ago. In 2019, the Mississippi River near Buffalo crested, and barriers failed, sending water into riverside communities. Water rushed into homes and turned streets into rivers. Aerial footage, shared by the Des Moines Register, from 2019 showed the Modern Woodmen Park, a minor league baseball field in downtown Davenport, standing above the water levels that overtook a large swath of the downtown region.
In an effort to avoid a repeat of 2019, city officials in Davenport added extra precautions to protect businesses and residents. HESCO barriers, which are large sandbags that are used by the military overseas, have been placed across the city. These barriers, which are currently working to keep the city mostly dry, are twice as thick and double the height as the ones used in 2019.
The city is now planning to implement the start of a multiyear, $165-million flood resilience plan. This plan would include raising the elevation of some roads and improving underground storm sewer systems. They’re also applying for federal aid, because funding from Congress will allow more cities and towns along the Mississippi River to implement better flood mitigation plans.
While residents are holding on tight and waiting for things to “get back to normal,” AccuWeather forecasters are warning that floodwaters will take some time to return to a “normal” level. “The Mississippi River is such a massive waterway that it takes many days, many weeks and in some cases, months for a flood cycle to complete,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. Since we’re just a little bit past the crest, we have many days to go here yet before the river gets down below major flood stage.”
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