Photographer's Comment: Take a winter with record snowfalls, combine it with a spring with record rainfalls, and you get record floods. This is at the Cedar River in Downtown Cedar Rapids at a record crest of 20.5 ft it's only just begun, they predict the crest to not be until Friday morning and it's suppose to be 4 ft higher then this. With even more rain predicted. They are starting to call this a 200 year flood. I live on a hill away from the river so no problems here, but really feel sorry for the 1000's affected not just in Iowa but across the midwest. One town is completely underwater and under a complete town evacuation order, another town half under water. I plan on helping people sand bag, so I may not be around PWS much for the next couple days.

Tags: ripples flood Iowa cedar river rapids

Viewer Comments:

By smokeydawg (2008-06-13 22:14:57 ): Thanks! Ps Read that New York Times article. Carl

By Scepter (2008-06-13 19:01:21 ): Yeah, I know. After you published these pics I started following the story in the American press (really good story in The New York Times). I'm sure I speak for everyone here at PWS when I say we're thinking of you and wishing all the best for your neighbours.

By smokeydawg (2008-06-13 18:30:40 ): Thanks Katia, hope you are staying dry. We ended up getting hit hard. They are now calling this a 500yr flood. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-06-13 18:28:44 ): Thanks Bill, It's a mess here especially in the downtown area. 438 blocks under water and 10,000 people displace from their homes and that doesn't include the 100's of business downtown. Luckily the river crested this morning. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-06-13 18:26:49 ): Thanks for taking the time to comment Frank, and congrats on the DE image. As far as the flood, the river crested this morning at almost 8ft above the original forcast. It's a mess. Carl

By ktapio (2008-06-13 12:36:51 ): Hi Carl, we too got our share of it in Indiana too. So strange when one comes from the other side of the world where we had only 3 days of rain all winter long. nice image. katia

By EnterVortex (2008-06-13 01:15:27 ): Good Luck to you and Cedar Rapids!

By Scepter (2008-06-12 06:49:59 ): Carl, hope your community gets through this okay. Nothing scarier than watching flood waters rise... once Old Man River slips his banks he'll tear a city to shreds. I look at this photo and think "What a mild sky... it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood." But then a look at the water brings the realization that this river has already gorged itself on a bunch of farms. Scary! Good luck.

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