City, county ready for expected flooding

FORT MADISON – City and county officials are gearing up for potentially heavy flooding over the next several days.

Fort Madison City Public Works Director Mark Bousselot said he’s planning for the worst because hoping for the best could put city property in jeopardy.

“We have to secure our wastewater treatment plant and the pavilion now, and we’re filling sandbags for the CB&Q (depot),” Bousselot said.

“I’m seeing 20 to 21 feet on some projections but that’s a best guess at this point. The projected crest is 19’-9” on Monday.

On Monday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster declaration for Iowa counties along the Mississippi River, including Lee.

The governor's proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of flooding in Allamakee, Clayton, Clinton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine, and Scott counties. 

 Also today, Reynolds instructed the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) to activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston in order to coordinate the state's response activities. HSEMD is working with county emergency management, state, and federal partners to monitor conditions and provide resources to those areas impacted by flooding. 

Bousselot said the city has already procured extra sand and bags and is encountering some heavy spending to prepare. Iowa State Penitentiary offenders were on hand Monday afternoon filling sandbags in the parking lot of the CB&Q depot.

“At some point, we could lose access to Riverview Park and to protect those assets, we have to decide when we’re going to do what,” Bousselot said.

“There’s more rain coming up north and still more snow to melt. I just can’t wait for 21 feet.”

Bousselot, who’s handling his first flood in Fort Madison after coming from Keokuk, said his concerns are the depot parking lot, and potentially on Avenue I from 10th to 14th Streets to Avenue M near the Ideal Concrete facility.

“My understanding is those areas can back up,” he said.

The streets in those areas can begin to flood before yards and houses because the storm drains will get backfilled with floodwaters from the river and not allow water from the streets to escape.

The current projected crests don’t get close to the historical flooding of 24 and 25 feet experienced in 2008 and 1993. In 2019, flood waters crested at 24’-5”.

Lee County Emergency Management Agency coordinator Jason Dinwiddie said he’s monitoring the flooding closely and was happy to see the Governor’s declaration.

Dinwiddie said the county would need to spend close to $150,000 on flood mitigation for Federal Emergency Management Assistance to kick in. That threshold is also contingent upon the state experiencing $5.4 million in costs to hold back flooding.