Miss. River Flood update

“OK, I made it down to view the Mississippi River flood today. Used the old "I'm a member of the press, shooting for the ******" to get in past the NATIONAL GUARD at Marquette. (I have no clue why the National Guard is in Marquette..... perhaps the fact there is a riverboat casino sitting there has something to do with it??!?)

Talked to the head honchos, the county emergency disaster coordinator and the county sheriff and I WAS "IN." "Just stay off the dikes," they told me. Hey, I'm no fool... standing on a dike that might give way is not my idea of fun.

Rode my bike the mile from Marquette to McGregor. Roads were built up in some places with dirt and gravel to get above the water. At the lowest point on McGregor's street -- the BOAT RAMP (who woulda guessed??!) -- sand bags about 3-4 ft. high and probably 15 ft. wide were holding the river back from the street. If they woulda given way, woulda been trouble for ME!!! (But I trusted them more than a dirt dike.)

A motel was submerged into its first floor. Then on to the tall grain elevators on the railroad tracks. All closed. No trains, cuz tracks were under water in places. No semi-trucks hauling grain to the terminal to be put on barges. (No barge traffic either... they were tied up all over.)

Then back to Marquette. And off to Prarie du Chien, WI. Now PdC had TROUBLE. Heard that a levy had broken there. A fairly large portion of town north of Highway 18 by the river sits on an island. Well, there was no island to be seen. I'd say from where the normal riverfront park is on the island, water was out of its banks and into town probably three-quarters to one mile. Homes that probably don't worry too much about the river were in or under water.

Pretty crazy!! Then, you have to watch out for all the site-seers, too, on the narrow side streets. They were from ALL OVER, too. lol!

Then it was on to Pikes Peak State Park, sitting on the bluffs above and just south of McGregor. The river didn't look so scary from that vantage point. However, looking across to where the Wisconsin River enters the Mississippi, the railroad bridge on that side looked like it was barely clearing the river.

BTW, lest you think I was abusing press privilege, I did send off a roll of film to the paper. If only I had a digital, the pics would be there already! oh welllllll....

And...... if you're downriver........ WATCH OUT and START SANDBAGGING **NOW!**

"And this is Lizs, over and out...." :-)”

“Thankyou for the update. Doesn't it seem that we should breech some of the dikes in the rural areas to alleviate the repetitive flooding in some of these towns? I think we need to re-think the way we turn alluvial rivers into big storm sewers. (Rant and rave.)
Sounds like you had a bit of an adventure. I've been in two floods. It is amazing the power of water.”

“Dunadan:

What is an "alluvial river"? I've heard of alluvial plains before -- generally flat land made up of sand or soil deposited by rivers when they flood -- but never alluvail rivers.”

“Lizs, nice note on the flood. Will you be following the flood south to Davenport or beyond? Sounds like a good oportunity for you to let your paper pay for a nice vacation. It could take a month or so to reach the Big Easy!

So do you think this will convince people not to build on FLOOD plains? Since '93 didn't, somehow I doubt it.”

“wow, sounds like an awesome sight to see. Thanks for the update Lizs!
yikes! be careful all you crazeee Iowacks!
%^P”

“Great report and great description Liz! Thanks.”

“Thanks for the visual report, Lizs...I think you should make a case for a digital camera, pronto! How does this year compare to back in '93? Is this just normal for spring? I know we've had some flooding here in MO on the MO river but so far just the usual flood plains. I hope I never see anything like '93 again..backed up drainage ditches causing havoc in the city of St. Louis. I did some sandbagging in my old stomping grounds...was a great sense of camraderie among the baggers. Some of the flooded areas have been demolished through buy outs so that bodes well for the future. However, there's always some homeowner who refuses to go and so sits in the middle of an empty neighborhood...waiting for the next flood to hit. Keep us posted and let us know if you want us to email your editor on your behalf for the digital camera...lol...glad we have someone so close to the action!”

“Hawkeye, it is my understanding that an alluvial river is what washes through an alluvial plain, thus causing an alluvial fan. Is that how you see it?
I agree, it would be great to get first person updates on the status of the high water. Go for it, Lizzy.”

“Hey, I work for a little weekly in Minnesota now, remember?? lol...... can't pick up and follow the flood down the river. (I only FREELANCE for the daily.)

However, I think I need to get in touch with AP about freelancing. I stumbled across an AP contact on the Net last week. :-) Heck, the paper I freelance for said they were using **AP** for their coverage, since it was out of readership area. Now that's a good idea!”

“Lizs, if'n yer werking fer a Minnesota paper, get it right! Its: I work for a little weekly in Minnesota, 'ey! Don'cha know I can't pick up and follow the flood down the river, 'ey! (Oh, and don't forget to put some extra butter on them sweet rolls, 'ey!)

H.”

“Hawkeye, you've seen "Fargo" one too many times. LOL!

Either that, or just come listen to those second-generation Norwegians talk in my non-Minn. town! Yah, fer sure, ya betcha! ;-)”

“I've only stayed awake through Fargo once, 'ey. Don'cha know, I've got friends from the land of Jesse Ventura. And Central Iowa has its share of Scandies, too, fer sure.”

“8D”