‘We’re on our own little island’: Mississippi River flooding inundates Midwestern towns
Abundant snow from the winter has been melting and causing the Mississippi River to rise from unprecedented low levels last year. Several riverfront towns and cities are dealing with significant flooding, and weary residents, who described the situation as “scary,” are ready for it to be over.
The Mississippi River crested earlier this week, but efforts continue to keep the residents along its banks safe and dry.
It's been a challenging week 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 been transformed into personal islands for some.
Janine Buckley, a Buffalo resident, told AccuWeather National Reporter Jillian Angeline that she’s thankful for the sandbags her landlord placed around the property. Those sandbags have helped to keep her home dry, but simple tasks such as going to the grocery store have become challenging.
"We're on our own little island, but it's not fun. First, it was a little scary. Now, I'm just ready for it to be over," said Buckley. "The biggest challenge is just getting out to the car and getting groceries."
Floodwaters spark painful memories from 2019
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.
Floodwaters inundate downtown Davenport, Iowa, in May 2019. (Getty Images/Chris Boswell)
"One of the businesses had an outdoor camera into their little courtyard area, and they released that footage, and you could just see the wall break and then this huge deluge of water just come crashing into the restaurant," Todd Robert, the owner of Endless Brews in Davenport, Iowa, told Angeline about the 2019 flood. "Thankfully, they were closed, and no one was in there, but it just kind of decimated the whole place."
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.
"Davenport and the Quad Cities get put on the map every time something like this happens," Kyle Carter, the executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, told Angeline. "That being said, we are pretty good about managing this. Doesn't mean that it can't go sideways, but we're proud of the work we do here."
Plans for better flood mitigation in Davenport exist, but funding is needed
According to Carter, the city is 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. Carter adds that more funding from Congress will allow more cities and towns along the Mississippi River to implement better flood mitigation plans.
While officials have big plans to protect the city from future flooding events, not all residents are hopeful.
"I was born and raised here, and I love the river, but c'mon. It'll probably never get done," the owner of Mary's on 2nd, Bobby Stansberry, told Angeline.
Stansberry hopes that HESCO barriers put in place in Davenport will also be built in Buffalo.
AccuWeather National Reporter Jillian Angeline stands next to the HESCO barriers that were put up to protect downtown Davenport from the floodwaters of the Mississippi River. (AccuWeather National Reporter Jillian Angeline)
As for the immediate plan, residents have had to learn how to coexist with the "mighty Mississippi," and city officials must wait for floodwater to recede before the cleanup process begins.
"We'll wait for the water to clear, pick up the debris, then it's back to normal," Davenport Mayor Mike Matson told Angeline.
However, 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."
Feast and famine on the Mississippi; businesses feeling the brunt of it
Roughly 18 miles southwest of Davenport, in Illinois City, Illinois, Keith Gorham, a farmer, says fluctuating levels of the Mississippi River have significantly impacted his production.
Gorham is a local farmer who grows corn, soybeans and small grains. He told Angeline that at least 40% of his production had been impacted by the rising floodwaters on the Mississippi.
Keith Gorham's farm flooded when the water levels rose on the Mississippi River. (AccuWeather National Reporter Jillian Angeline)
Drone footage of Gorham’s property showed a flooded field that almost looks like a small lake. Gorham said he must wait for the water to recede in order to resume farming operations.
"We have to wait for the river to go down, then we have to wait for it to dry out," Gorham told Angeline.
If Gorham can’t grow and produce any crops because of the flooded fields, he will have to rely on insurance. And, according to Gorham, he won’t make a profit close to what the crops would have yielded.
"We couldn't get grain down the river six months ago because the water was too low. Now, we can't get grain down the river because they can't run on the flooded water," Gorham said.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
