Over the past week, the Mississippi River has flooded and the downtown Davenport community and other communities along the river have experienced its course of action.
As of October 11th, the Mississippi River was 17.35 feet tall in Davenport. Unfortunately, the high waters on the river have caused many events to be changed or altered, such as the Decker Dash 5k; it had to be moved to Duck Creek Park.
Between 3rd street and Division Street on River Drive, there was water over the road, so many roads had to be closed off creating traffic. The flooding may cause distress to those en route to work or school if typical roads they take are closed off.
Just as the flooding may affect traffic, it affects those who live in residential neighborhoods near the river. Pleasant Valley senior Danielle Nauman lives on part the Mississippi River in Bettendorf, Iowa and has had to deal with the repercussions of the rising river many times while living in her home.
Nauman said, “Flooding is always a hassle to deal with. Once water hits the road and cars can’t get through, my family and I have to park a mile away from my house and walk to and from our cars whenever going anywhere.”
Waiting to see what the flooding will bring is like a guessing game. “So far the flooding hasn’t been very bad but things are supposed to get worse next week; the water may reach and enter the homes on the river. I usually try to find a friend’s house to stay at so I don’t have to deal with the chaos in my neighborhood,” Nauman said.
The city of Davenport has a sturdy flood plan in place so no community members should be concerned. There are over 500 different activities in place to aid water reaching up to 26 feet; minor activities can be enacted for water up to 10 feet tall.
Pleasant Valley senior Grace Schons also lives near the river but is elevated on a hill. Schons said, “Hearing about how much the flooding is affecting other students in the Quad Cities is surprising; I never gave the topic much thought even though I live so close to the water.”
Although the flooding has not posed any serious threats, it is important to keep an eye out for it, especially for those who may live along the river. It is essential to keep a look out for deviances in nature in one’s community.
