The June 2008 Midwestern United States floods were flooding events which affected portions of the
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
. After months of heavy precipitation, a number of rivers overflowed their banks for several weeks at a time and broke through
levees at numerous locations. Flooding continued into July.
States affected by the flooding included
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
,
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
,
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
and
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. The
American Red Cross assisted the victims of flooding and tornadoes across seven states and the
National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
was mobilized to assist in disaster relief and evacuation.
Flooding continued as long as two weeks with central
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
and
Cedar Rapids being hardest hit. The upper Mississippi Valley experienced flooding in
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
and
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
as the region's estuaries drained the floodwater into the river. The flood left thirteen dead and damage region-wide was estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.
Illinois
On June 11,
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich deemed
Clark,
Coles,
Crawford,
Cumberland,
Jasper
Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases,Kostov, R. I. 2010. Review on the mineralogical systematics of jasper and related rocks. – Archaeometry Workshop, 7, 3, 209-213PDF/ref> ...
and
Lawrence
Lawrence may refer to:
Education Colleges and universities
* Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States
* Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States
Preparator ...
counties as disaster areas. Levee breaks on June 10 flooded portions of Lawrence County near
Lawrenceville, inundating a campsite and forcing the evacuations of 200 homes.
On June 14 many communities located along the Mississippi River in West Central Illinois were notified by the National Weather Service that crests along the river would exceed the record crests of 1993.
On the early morning of June 14, the town of
Oquawka, Illinois
Oquawka is a village in Henderson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,371 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Henderson County.
Oquawka is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geograph ...
was evacuated, due to a
levee breach
A levee breach or levee failure (the word dike or dyke can also be used instead of levee) is a situation where a levee fails or is intentionally breached, causing the previously contained water to flood the land behind the levee.
Causes of fail ...
along the swollen
Iowa River
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 and ...
. The city council believed this would affect the flood waters in the already flooding
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
. The same day two levees broke near the town of
Keithsburg, Illinois
Keithsburg is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States on the Mississippi River. The population was 609 at the 2010 census, down from 714 in 2000. It was named for Robert Keith, a pioneer settler.
Geography
Keithsburg is located at (41.1 ...
, flooding the entire town.
On the morning of June 15, a levee along the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
in the town of
Gulfport failed, flooding most of the town. Two more levees were breached by flood waters in western Illinois on June 18. The breaches flooded farmland near
Meyer and forced an evacuation of the town.
More than $7.2 million in federal disaster assistance grants and loans were approved by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...
and the U.S. Small Business Administration for Illinois residents who suffered damages and losses.
Indiana
Central and southwestern Indiana was particularly hard hit by flooding along the Ohio River and its tributaries; damages were expected to make the flooding the costliest disaster in the history of the state. Starting on June 4, 2008, rain soaked parts of south-central Indiana, leading to initial floods in and around
Bloomington. Additional rain on June 7 brought the worst of the flooding to larger portions of south-central and western Indiana. The highest recorded rainfall was in the town of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
, which saw of rain in seven hours.
Paragon
Paragon may refer to:
Places
*Paragon, Indiana, a town in the United States
* Paragon, Nebraska, former community in the United States
*The Paragon, Bath, a Georgian street in the Walcot area of Bath
* The Paragon, Blackheath, London, built by Mi ...
had of rain in just a few hours, leaving 90% of the town underwater.
Some parts of the state had flood levels exceeding records set in 1913. On June 9,
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
George W. Bush declared 29 counties in central Indiana a major disaster area, enabling the region to receive federal aid and
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...
assistance.
Impact
Many low-lying areas of central and northern Indiana were evacuated because of the rapid rise of the waters.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
Mitchell Elias Daniels Jr. (born April 7, 1949) is an American academic administrator, businessman, author, and retired politician. A Republican, Daniels served as the 49th governor of Indiana from 2005 to 2013. Since 2013, Daniels has been pr ...
declared a
state of emergency in 23 counties and called in the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
to assist in evacuations and rescues. The Coast Guard responded by sending two helicopters to the state along with boats and personnel. The
Indiana National Guard
The Indiana National Guard (INNG) is a component of the United States Armed Forces, the United States National Guard and the Military Department of Indiana (MDI). It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard, the Indiana Air National Guard, ...
was called out to assist in evacuation and direct traffic and enforce road blocks on the many flooded roads. Some areas of southern
Indianapolis, where the
White River was several feet past flood stage, were evacuated. This included a hospital with one hundred patients and doctors. The Coast Guard continued to rescue trapped citizens on June 8. In
Franklin, Indiana
Franklin is a city in Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 23,712 at the 2010 census. Located about south of Indianapolis, the city is the county seat of Johnson County. The site of Franklin College, the city attracts n ...
water rose as high as the first floor of Johnson Memorial Hospital. Doctors and patients were also evacuated from Columbus Regional Hospital in
Columbus, Indiana. The hospital had to remain closed for an extended period of time because of power outages, generator failures, and extensive flood damage. It was expected to resume operations between September and December 2008, although emergency services began more quickly. All patients were evacuated and moved to nearby hospitals. One hundred and fifty people were evacuated from a nursing home in
Morgan County.
The dam at Prince's Lake failed on June 7, threatening the community of
Nineveh, Indiana
Nineveh is an unincorporated community in Nineveh Township, Johnson County, Indiana, United States.
Nineveh took its name from Nineveh Creek, which in turn is named after Nineveh Berry, a hunter who fell into the creek while hunting for deer.
T ...
. On June 8 the
Wabash Valley
The Wabash Valley is a region located in sections of both Illinois and Indiana. It is named for the Wabash River and, as the name is typically used, spans the middle to the middle-lower portion of the river's valley and is centered at Terre Haute ...
between Lafayette and
Terre Haute, Indiana was placed under flood alert; all residents near the
Wabash River
The Wabash River (French: Ouabache) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 13, 2011 river that drains most of the state of Indiana in the United States. It flows from ...
were urged to evacuate their homes.
Looting was reported in
Seymour, Indiana
Seymour is a city in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. Its population was 21,569 at the 2020 census.
The city is noted for its location at the intersection of two major north–south and east–west railroads, which cross each other in th ...
where the
White River had overflowed its banks and forced the evacuation of over one hundred homes. Governor Daniels dispatched extra state police to the city to curb the looting. On June 10, five hundred members of the
Indiana National Guard
The Indiana National Guard (INNG) is a component of the United States Armed Forces, the United States National Guard and the Military Department of Indiana (MDI). It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard, the Indiana Air National Guard, ...
were mobilized to assist Indiana in coping with the flood damage and rescuing stranded citizens. The same day floodwaters rose above record levels in at least five localities. In others the rising waters were near or at the historic 1913 flood levels. The flooding was the worst in Indiana's modern history, according to Scott Morlock, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Indiana.
Many roads were closed because of high water, including
Interstate 65, which was closed southbound at the interchange with
Interstate 465
Interstate 465 (I-465), also known as the USS ''Indianapolis'' Memorial Highway, is the beltway circling Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is roughly rectangular in shape and has a perimeter of approximately . It lies almost complet ...
through Seymour. On June 16
Ball State University released a report estimating that preliminary damages in the state would cost at least $126 million, with $45.8 million in damage to public infrastructure and the rest damage to private businesses and homes. Although damage estimates are likely to be revised upward, the current estimate ranks the flood as the second costliest in Indiana history. Governor Mitch Daniels said the state is compiling its own thorough estimates, with total damages expected to top $1 billion. This would include agricultural costs (of over $800 million) and clean-up efforts not included in the Ball State University Study.
The agricultural damages from this flood event varied dramatically since the timing of the flood permitted extensive replanting. The joint Ball State University and University of Tennessee study by Mark Burton and
Michael J. Hicks
Michael J. Hicks (born in 1962) is the George & Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Economics and director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and Professor of Economics at Ball State University.
Early life and military career
...
excluded not only agricultural damage in Indiana, but also did not include any large public structures (e.g. hospitals) located in flood plains.
Deaths
Two deaths were reported in
Columbus
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
. The first was confirmed by the
Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
on June 8, and the body of the second was discovered on June 9. A third man drowned in flood waters near
Remington
Remington may refer to:
Organizations
* Remington Arms, American firearms manufacturer
* Remington Rand, American computer manufacturer
* Remington Products, American manufacturer of shavers and haircare products
* Remington College, American c ...
in the northwestern part of the state.
Iowa
Severe flooding in
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
led to evacuations of many homes. In eastern Iowa along the
Iowa River
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 and ...
and
Cedar River, flooding was expected to exceed that of the
Flood of 1993
The Great Flood of 1993 (or Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993) was a flood that occurred in the Midwestern United States, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood wa ...
. Flooding also forced the closure of a number of roads throughout the state, reaching the point where travel was not advised in some parts of the state.
On Monday, June 9 the
Upper Iowa River
The Upper Iowa River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 13, 2011 tributary of the Mississippi River in the upper Midwest of the United States.
Its headwaters rise ...
in
Decorah flooded when a
levee was breached. Up to of rain had fallen in the 48 hours prior. The water flooded parts of the lower campus of
Luther College, damaging athletic fields and the Regents Center.
Winneshiek County officials called this the worst flood to occur in Decorah since the current levee system was put in place in the 1940s. Other portions of the city were flooded. For a time, worries of losing the sanitary sewer system led to a 'please don't flush' order; as of Friday, 13 June 2008, this order was withdrawn, but pleas for careful use remain in effect. Decorah and
Winneshiek County now face a difficult cleanup.
Further downstream on the Upper Iowa, in the small historic unincorporated area of
Dorchester, severe flooding was experienced. In particular, a trailer court sustained major damage.
Along the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
, flood waters were reaching near-record levels. In
Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, no ...
, the Mississippi reached three different crests, before hitting on June 10, the fourth highest stage in the city's history; as of June 15, the expected crest was supposed to be around the mark, which would make it the second worst flood in the city's history, surpassing 1993 by . This caused the
Burlington Steamboat Days to cancel and close up three days early, the first such occurrence that the festival has closed more than one day early since its inception in 1962. Severe flooding caused the city to close off an entire section of the riverfront, from Main Street to the riverfront. By the morning of June 15, several streets within the city had been closed off, including the entire length of Front Street; a section of Main Street, between Division Street, and Jefferson Street; a section of Mill Dam Road; Tama Road and all of its side roads; and County Highway 99.
U.S. Highway 61, five miles (8 km) south of the city, had been closed on the morning of June 13 due to the rising waters of the
Skunk River
The Skunk River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States.
Geography
The Skunk River rises in two branches, the South Skunk ( long) and the North Skunk ( long).U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography ...
.
Along the upper Turkey River, the historic towns of
Spillville and
Fort Atkinson experienced significant flooding, with damaged roads and bridge approaches. Further downstream, portions of
Elkader were under water; the river had retreated by Thursday, June 12.
In
Cedar Rapids, officials were readying residents and downtown business owners to evacuate as the Cedar River threatened to spill over a levee. The river was expected to top the levee June 11, prompting a mandatory evacuation of downtown.
All of the bridges over the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids were closed at 8:00 pm CDT (0100 UTC) on June 11. On June 12, a levee broke, a railroad bridge owned by the
Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway was swept away along with loaded rail cars (which had been filled with rock in an attempt to keep the bridge in place, or failing that, cause it to sink to the bottom very close to its original location), 100 city blocks were submerged downtown, and 10,000 people were evacuated. In
Waterloo, fast-moving water swept away a railroad bridge used to transport tractors from a John Deere factory to Cedar Rapids. It also prompted the city to shut its downtown and close five bridges.
The Black Hawk County Emergency Management Agency recommended the evacuation of the Cedar Terrace Neighborhood in Southeast Waterloo on June 10. Because of the severe flooding in east-central Iowa, officials with U.S. Postal Service's Des Moines-based Hawkeye District suspended all Retail, Post Office Box and Mail Caller Services at the Waterloo Main Post Office.
On June 12, a mandatory evacuation was issued for the Normandy Drive area of
Iowa City. An evacuation of two streets in
Coralville
Coralville is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb of Iowa City and part of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,318 at the 2020 census.
History
Coralville is the location of the Edgewater ...
was also issued, with the expectations of completing it by 5:00 pm CDT (2200 UTC) on June 12. One person died in the Iowa flooding. A section of
Interstate 80 was closed in
Cedar County
Cedar County may refer to:
* Cedar County, Iowa
* Cedar County, Missouri
* Cedar County, Nebraska
* Cedar County, Choctaw Nation
* Cedar County, Washington
The list of county secession proposals in the United States includes proposed new co ...
due to flooding.
The small town of
Palo
Palo may refer to:
Places
* Palo, Argentina, a village in Argentina
* Palo, Estonia, village in Meremäe Parish, Võru County, Estonia
* Palo, Huesca, municipality in the province of Huesca, Spain
* Palo, Iowa, United States, a town located wit ...
, just upstream from Cedar Rapids, and home of Iowa's only nuclear power plant, underwent a mandatory evacuation. The town remained under water until June 13, 2008.
At 3:43am on the morning of June 14, the National Weather Service in Des Moines Iowa issued a Flash Flood Warning for the
City of Des Moines due to a wide levee breach along the
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River () is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the upper Midwestern United States that is approximately long from its farther headwaters.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe Na ...
in Des Moines near Birdland Park between 6th Avenue and New York Avenue.
In the evening of June 14, a levee along the
Iowa River
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 and ...
near
Oakville, Iowa
Oakville is a city in southeasern Louisa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 200 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Oakville was laid out in 1891.
Geography
Oakville ...
failed, causing the swollen waters to rampage through, two days before the mandatory evacuation deadline in the town of Oakville. This also caused evacuation in the Huron Township area. Also, during that same time, an area of the city of
Burlington, Iowa was evacuated, along Tama Road, due to a levee problem along the swollen
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
; the levee began to bulge and was threatening to fail by mid afternoon. By nightfall, it was still holding, but hopes were not high that it would remain intact; this caused
Des Moines County to issue an evacuation order for all residents of the county that live east of County Highway 99. By the morning of June 15, the entire length of County Highway 99 within Des Moines County had been closed. By the morning of June 16, three more bulges were discovered along the levee, prompting workers to state that it was no longer a question of if but when the levee would fail. On June 16, Cedar,
Jones,
Louisa,
Muscatine,
Polk
Polk may refer to:
People
* James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States
* Polk (name), other people with the name
Places
* Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois
* Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community
* Polk, Missou ...
, and Winneshiek Counties were approved for federal individual assistance.
Michigan
Several tornadoes touched down in southern
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
and flooding led to evacuation of many homes. At least eight people died, due to a combination of blowing debris, flooding, and infrastructure failures. On June 14th a
State of Emergency is declared for the counties of
Allegan,
Eaton, and
Mason. In days leading up to the State of Emergency, 8 to of rain has fallen and winds have been recorded at 98 miles per hour across the area. Officials in Allegan County are expecting to spend nearly $700,000 to repair collapsed roads. More than 50 roads in Mason County were closed due to severe damage, as well as several miles of
US-10
U.S. Route 10 or U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) is an east–west United States highway located in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Unlike most U.S. routes with "0" as the last digit of its route number, US 10 ...
and
US-31
U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. It ...
. In the
City of Ludington damage to the city's public utilities has left many without drinking water and sewage contamination in the area.
Minnesota
![MNMap-doton-Rushford](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/MNMap-doton-Rushford.png)
Approximately 75 homes in
Preston, Minnesota
Preston is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fillmore County. The Root River runs through it, and Mystery Cave State Park is nearby. It bills itself as " ...
suffered water damage from excessive rainfall. The ground was already saturated from heavy rains from the previous week and this compounded the problems that arose. Some residents were evacuated in
Hayfield, Minnesota
Hayfield is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2010 census.
History
The Hayfield branch of the U.S. Post Office has been in operation since 1885. Hayfield was incorporated in 1896. Hayfield Towns ...
after the
Zumbro River
The Zumbro River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota in the United States. It is longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, access ...
flooded. The Cedar River also flooded which threatened to cause problems in
Austin, Minnesota
Austin is a city in, and the county seat of, Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,174 at the 2020 census. The town was originally settled along the Cedar River and has two artificial lakes, East Side Lake and Mill Po ...
. One man died when his vehicle plunged into a flooded creek near
Albert Lea Albert Lea may refer to:
*Albert Lea, Minnesota, U.S.
* Albert Lea Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, U.S.
*Albert Miller Lea
Albert Miller Lea (July 23, 1808 – January 16, 1891) was an American engineer, soldier, and topographer with th ...
. There were major levees in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids that were breached which forced evacuations and caused extensive damage. The majority of the communities along the Mississippi River from Rock Island, IL to Cape Girardeau, MO were still experiencing
tp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/extremeevents/specialreports/2008-Midwestern-US-Floods.pdf major floodingaround the end of June.
Missouri
Missouri's battle with the floods of the summer of 2008 began at the end of May, when the Wentzville Fire Protection District had to close several roads in the area and ended up fielding 58 calls for service in a single 24 hour period.
The deluge of storms led to a quick rise of water on the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
which saw water crest ten feet above flood stage in
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city along the Mississippi River in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,312, making it the largest city in Marion County. The bulk of the city is in Mar ...
on June 10. The National Weather Service predicted that the flood stage could be higher in the next two weeks. Most of the towns near the river are protected by levees, but outlying areas are vulnerable to flooding.
On June 1, 2008,
Governor Blunt declared a state-wide emergency and on June 15 requested the approval of a "major disaster" declaration from the federal government, which was officially approved on June 25.
On June 17, 2008,
Steve Ehlmann, the county executive for
St. Charles County
St. Charles County is in the central eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 405,262, making it Missouri's third-most populous county. Its county seat is St. Charles. The county was organized Oct ...
, declared a state of emergency and the sandbagging of levees, airports and other essential infrastructure began that day.
[
Multiple levees were breached or topped before the Mississippi river crested during the last weekend in June.][ On June 27, 2008, muskrat holes weakened a Mississippi River levee, allowing floodwaters to pour into ]Lincoln County, Missouri
Lincoln County is located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 59,574. Its county seat is Troy. The county was founded December 14, 1818, and named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln o ...
. The levee was the last one remaining in Lincoln County and was protecting about 100 homes. Sheriff's deputies alerted residents to evacuate. Sirens also went off to warn residents of the levee breach. Muskrats looking for food or making dens had dug into the levee, weakening it enough for the levee to breach.
Missouri River flooding continues to cause more damage over the last decade. There have been major flooding events June - August 2011, December 2015 thru January 2016, and April - May 2017. In March 2019 the Missouri River flooded almost every levee devastating countless farms and homes in Holt County, Missouri
Holt County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,223. It's county seat is Oregon. The county was organized February 15, 1841. Originally named Nodaway Count ...
. The rise in water levels begin as early as September and October leaving the county soil saturated as the grounds free along the Missouri River and continues to cause more property damage in the spring during cyclone season.
Wisconsin
On June 7, at least six confirmed tornadoes touched down in multiple counties, as an effect of the strong winds of the daily storms.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle
James Edward Doyle, Jr., (born November 23, 1945) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Wisconsin, serving from January 6, 2003 to January 3, 2011. In his first election to the governorship, he defeated incum ...
declared a state of emergency in thirty counties on June 9 due to the flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...
(FEMA) inspectors are due to examine areas that suffered the most damage.
Continued heavy rains in the Wisconsin Dells led to the Dell creek bypassing the dam holding Lake Delton. On June 9, water rushing out of the lake eroded a section of County Highway A and washed away three homes and tore apart several others. The lake became nearly empty and the escaping flood water created a new channel for the Wisconsin River
The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At approximately 430 miles (692 km) long, it is the state's longest river. The river's name, first recorded in 1673 by Jacques Marquette as "Meskous ...
about a quarter mile away from the dam.
Wisconsin National Guard engineers began repairs on the dam the same day, but with the breach being about wide, the repairs weren't expected to be completed for over a year. However, as Governor Jim Doyle
James Edward Doyle, Jr., (born November 23, 1945) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Wisconsin, serving from January 6, 2003 to January 3, 2011. In his first election to the governorship, he defeated incum ...
called the lake critical to the $1 billion Wisconsin Dells tourism industry, he said the Department of Natural Resources was trying to figure out how to get the water flowing in the man-made lake. Soon tourists who had made summer reservations at the lake's twenty resorts began canceling their reservations. The response of the local businesses was varied. The Delton Oaks Resort, a 60-year operation, closed temporarily. Meanwhile, the iconic Wisconsin Dells boat tours reopened despite the low water level. The Tommy Bartlett Show continued, though the waterskiing
Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffici ...
aspect was discarded at least until the lake was refilled the following year. Nearby Devil's Lake was also flooded, one lake house was nearly totaled, and both of the beaches were washed away.
In southwestern Wisconsin, the Kickapoo River
The Kickapoo River is a tributary of the Wisconsin River in the state of Wisconsin, United States. It is named for the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers in the early 19th century.
Watershed
The river be ...
rose several feet above flood stage, destroying most of the village of Gays Mills. Gays Mills had already been badly flooded in the August 2007 floods. Officials said Kickapoo River flood damage in Vernon County likely will exceed the $60 million damage caused by the August 2007 floods, and already the water was two feet higher than the high water mark
A high water mark is a point that represents the maximum rise of a body of water over land. Such a mark is often the result of a flood, but high water marks may reflect an all-time high, an annual high (highest level to which water rose that ...
of a historic 1978 flood. In the early morning of June 9, 150 residents in the village of 625 were forced to evacuate. Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
, Hillsboro, La Farge, Steuben and Viola
; german: Bratsche
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, hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71
, hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow
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were also severely flooded, much worse than in August 2007. The county took an average of of rain over the second weekend, causing mudslides and closing over 100 roads in Vernon, but the rain relented on Monday, June 16th. More thunderstorms, and more severe flooding, were expected in both Vernon and Crawford
Crawford may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia
* Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario
United Kingdom
* Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England
* Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...
counties later that week. All the nearby dams held, though many sustained damage.
Westbound lanes of Interstate 94 were closed between Johnson Creek and Lake Mills on June 10, 2008 at 7 PM because of the rising Rock River. Eastbound lanes of Interstate 90/Interstate 94 were closed between WIS 82
State Trunk Highway 82 (often called Highway 82, STH-82 or WIS 82) is a state highway in Wisconsin, United States. It runs east–west in southwest and south central Wisconsin from the Iowa border near Lansing, IA to Oxford.
This highway is ...
in Juneau County and WIS 33 west of Portage. Also, Interstate 39
Interstate 39 (I-39) is a highway in the Midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois, at I-55 to State Trunk Highway 29 (WIS 29) in the town of Rib Mountain, Wisconsin, which is approximately south of Wausau. I- ...
was closed in two places: Northbound at its interchange with I-90/94 and WIS 78, and southbound between WIS 82 and WIS 33. The closure of I-94 westbound in Jefferson County was extended eastward to WIS 83 in Waukesha County
Waukesha County () is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its county seat and largest city is Waukesha.
Waukesha Co ...
. The closure of the interstates around Portage were extended southward to US 151
U.S. Highway 151 (US 151) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of Iowa and Wisconsin. The southern terminus for US 151 is at a junction with Interstate 80 (I-80) in Iowa County, Iowa, and its northern termin ...
east of Madison.
The first reported fatality due to flooding in the state was confirmed June 14 in Waukesha County
Waukesha County () is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its county seat and largest city is Waukesha.
Waukesha Co ...
. 68-year-old Robert Schaf was found near his car on a flooded road in the town of Summit. Authorities report he died after being stranded on a flooded road, and was found in at least three feet of water.
Flooding also affected the communities on the Baraboo River. The town of North Freedom had all but one road into town closed because of flooding. The flooding forced the closure of the Mid-Continent Railway Museum
The Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a railway museum, railroad museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin, North Freedom, Wisconsin, United States. The museum consists of static displays as well as a round trip ride aboard preserved railroad cars.
His ...
.
On June 14, federal disaster aid from FEMA was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President George W. Bush. Federal funding was made available to affected individuals in Columbia, Crawford
Crawford may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia
* Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario
United Kingdom
* Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England
* Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...
, Milwaukee
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee ...
, Sauk, and Vernon counties. Continuing damage surveys were conducted, especially in the southeast, and Wisconsin's inhabitants were reassured that other counties would be allowed to receive assistance. Richland and Racine
Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ) (; 22 December 163921 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille as well as an important literary figure in the Western traditi ...
counties were declared disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale that has been heavily damaged by either natural, technological or social hazards. Disaster areas affect the population living in the community by dramatic increase in expense, loss of energy, food and serv ...
s on June 16. On June 18, the President put five more counties under disaster area status, allowing Dodge, Green
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combi ...
, Waukesha, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, and Winnebago. At the time of the announcement, the first 7 counties had already received almost $38,000 in FEMA aid.
The rainfall in southeastern Wisconsin was anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in the string of thunderstorms. Waukesha County had up to 8 inches in certain areas. As of June 19, municipal estimates for Waukesha County was $87.7 million, $3.2 million more than earlier in the week, though the total remains fluid.
The Rock and Crawfish rivers were still above flood stage in Jefferson and Rock counties into mid-July.
Public health concerns
In city or country, suburb or industrial area, the main public health hazard was the polluted water, mixed with the outflow of overwhelmed sanitary sewer systems, petroleum products and a variety of other toxic materials, to include asbestos. As the waters recede, tremendous amounts of potentially infectious debris added to the problem; this included uncollected garbage and dead animals. This issue was exacerbated by the onset of the hot and humid summer weather. Just making the affected areas sanitary again was a huge undertaking. The problem of mold
A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not ...
propagating in flooded buildings was one of major concern.
Skin contact with polluted water and flood soaked items can cause rashes, and a contact with a skin cut may result in a variety of infections. Public officials warned of a potential increase in waterborne diseases such as dysentery
Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...
as well as an increased population of mosquitoes
Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small Diptera, flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning "gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish ...
, which can carry West Nile virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes West Nile fever. It is a member of the family '' Flaviviridae'', from the genus '' Flavivirus'', which also contains the Zika virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. The v ...
.
Free tetanus
Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'', and is characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually ...
shots were being offered in many areas, including Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.
In addition to physical disease, residents were warned of potential mental health problems. Parents were told to expect developmental regressions in child survivors of the flood, especially those who lost their homes. Even in adults, the stress of applying for services and managing daily activities under catastrophic conditions, along with the summer heat and number of people needing the same things, was expected to exacerbate pre-existing anxiety, depression, or family conflict. The physical and emotional stress of cleaning out flooded homes was only part of the trouble, as parents needed to manage all of this while still caring for children who were home on summer vacation. Long-term consequences were expected as well. "Once the original shock and dismay pass, the losses of such things as wedding photos or treasured family heirlooms can lead to depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats o ...
," said one official.
Some rural areas suffered from a lack of access to badly-needed public and social services, and agencies were overwhelmed with the increase of people needing assistance. Also, due to the large area of the Midwest affected by this event, some rivers and tributaries took an abnormally long time to recede, with some areas remaining flooded for up to four weeks. The increased amount of standing water and flood-affected ground caused a summer-long increased population of biting midge gnats (sand flies), fungus gnats, flies, and mosquitoes, with the above-mentioned public health concerns.
See also
* 2007 Midwest flooding
The 2007 Midwest flooding was a major flooding event that occurred in the Midwestern United States in the third week of August 2007. While Hurricane Dean was affecting the Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico, and Tropical Storm Erin was af ...
* June 2008 tornado outbreak sequence
June is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the second of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the third of five months to have a length of less than 31 days. June contains the summer solstice in ...
* Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana
* March 2008 Midwest floods
* Floods in the United States before 1901
Floods in the United States before 1900 is a list of flood events that were of significant impact to the country, before 1900. Floods are generally caused by excessive rainfall, excessive snowmelt, and dam failure.
Prehistoric events
Kankakee Tor ...
* Floods in the United States: 1901–2000
* Floods in the United States: 2001–present
References
External links
*
*
*
*
* {{cite news, url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364924,00.html, publisher=Fox News, agency=Associated Press, title=Engineers Watch Wisconsin Dams After Collapse, access-date=2008-06-10, date=June 11, 2008, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611075643/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364924,00.html, archive-date=June 11, 2008, url-status=dead, df=mdy-all
Floods in the United States
Midwest floods
Midwest floods
History of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Natural disasters in Illinois
Natural disasters in Indiana
Natural disasters in Iowa
Natural disasters in Michigan
Natural disasters in Minnesota
Natural disasters in Missouri
Natural disasters in Wisconsin