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Saturday, June 14, 2008


"The Great Flood of 2008"

With all the rain that soaked the Midwest this past week, large areas of land are now temporary lakes, as local rivers and streams are rapidly overflowing their banks.

You've probably heard or seen the national news regarding parts of Iowa...

In Cedar Rapids, 24,000 residents had to flee rising waters of the Cedar River, a railroad bridge collapsed, at least 1,300 city blocks were submerged, and the city's freshwater supply is nearly gone. In Des Moines (Iowa's state capital), a levee breached on the Des Moines River and flooded a neighborhood of more than 200 homes. And in Iowa City -- along the Iowa River -- more than 200 homes were evacuated in anticipation of the river cresting there on Monday or Tuesday.

Eighty-three (83) of Iowa's 99 counties have been declared disaster areas. Damage in Cedar Rapids alone is estimated at $737 million!

Here in Wisconsin, the situation is no less severe.

Earlier this week, Lake Delton, a popular resort destination in Central Wisconsin burst it's banks, and was drained into the nearby Wisconsin River. Earlier today, the Pardeeville Dam near Portage also breached, although it's not clear yet how many people or homes are threatened. Three state parks have been closed. Countless cities, communities, and bridges along the Crawfish, Fond du Lac, Fox, Wisconsin, Beaver Dam, Sugar, Milwaukee, and Rock rivers are threatened, underwater, washed out, or sealed off as the state's waterways rise, flood, and recede.

Even the famous Wisconsin Ducks -- old WWII landing craft converted for tourism use -- were activated as rescue craft near flooded Baraboo.

Roads are closed throughout the southern part of the state, including parts of the major interstate highway system just west of Milwaukee. Five {5) Wisconsin counties (including the one I live in) have been declared federal disaster areas, and more will be added in the days to come. Estimated damage in my county alone (Milwaukee County) is currently at $43 million.

And, not to be forgotten, in western Illinois, a levee holding back the rising Mississippi River burst today, prompting evacuations. Communities in Missouri are now preparing for flooding as well. They're next as our massive flood waters head south.

And here's the really bad news: This rain and intense flooding has severely damaged the corn crop in Iowa (America's top corn state), as well as agricultural crops in Wisconsin, and other parts of the Midwest. Much of the nation's corn and soy bean crops have been destroyed.

Yeah. Brace for more bad news. The "Great Flood of 2008" is far from over.

"Cedar Rapids flood recedes; Des Moines levee fails"

"Pardeeville Dam Partially Breaches; Flooding Problems Persist"

"County By County Flood Updates" (Wisconsin counties)

-Jon

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Jon Baas

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