The flooding in the Quad Cities is nothing new, but this year is on track to be the worst flooding since 2019. As the floods persist, local businesses and students fight back to protect their community. PV students have been volunteering to put sandbags around houses susceptible to flooding while local business owners have erected stronger walls in their buildings. Though the worries of flooding and damage continue to increase, the community has become even closer in their efforts to protect each other.

Time for Preparation: The Quad Cities braces for record-breaking flood season

by Grace Sherman

The Quad Cities is facing yet another flood season, but this one is on track to break records. 

In 2019—the worst flood season to date—the flooding shut down multiple businesses for months due to significant damage. But this year, the levels are projected to reach new heights. 

The height of the 2019 floods peaked at 22.64 feet. In comparison, it is predicted that the river levels will reach 21.7 feet this week before continuing to rise. 

The oldest brewpub in Iowa, Front Street Brewery, is located in downtown Davenport and was largely affected by the 2019 floods. Now, the business is preparing for what’s to come. Front Street Brewery was flooded and shut down for seven months after the 2019 flood season, which caused the establishment to lose so much business that they considered closing their doors for good. 

Part of the reason that the business suffered so much was because the temporary wall, designed to stop the flood waters, broke.  Co-owner of the restaurant Tim Baldwin has a very clear memory of this day. “Seeing the wall break in slow motion, I stood up, paused for a moment and ran,” he said. “The basement was filled with 12 feet of water within 3 minutes.” 

Despite the setbacks, the business preserved and remains open today. 

Now, with hopes of not repeating the past, new flood walls will be four  feet higher than the 2019 walls. This new method is designed to be stronger, more durable and above all, significantly higher. Under the guidance of the Army Corps of Engineers, the new wall was erected to be twice as high as the previous wall.

As a result of recurring floods, other local businesses have been forced to adapt.. The Davenport Freight House Farmers Market, set to open May 6, has recently been relocated to a safer location. Though the market may see a change in attendance, the community hopes that the market will return to its original location within the month. 

Not only does the flood take a large toll on local businesses and attractions, but also severely impacts transportation and travel time. 

The closures on River Drive have resulted in detours all around the Quad Cities and for senior Maddie Glaus, an already 15 minute drive to school has only increased. 

“Earlier this week I was driving through a few inches of water on the way to school, but now it has officially been closed. This makes the drive to school 10 minutes more because of the detour,” Glaus recounted. 

Every year, the heavy winter snowfalls bring the threat of dangerous flood heights in the spring. However, the preparation to defeat the flood annually improves as the community hopes to not repeat the past.

More than a sport: PV student-athletes join together to combat local flooding

by Ike Swanson

As the largest flood since 2019 affects the local Quad Cities community, PV students are joining together and volunteering their time to help protect their peers’ homes.

Though the Quad Cities are no stranger to a turbulent flood season, this year holds more dangers than normal  due to winter conditions in the upper Mississippi basin. This basin received an increased amount of snowfall throughout the winter months before seeing more snow in the last two weeks. As the temperatures rose during the spring season, the snow began to melt, quickly making its way down the Mississippi River and into the Quad Cities.

To combat the floods, PV students are coming together in a collective effort to sandbag around the homes of fellow PV families who are affected.

The walls—a combination of a tarp and sandbag—help protect the homes by redirecting the rising water. Senior Aden O’Donnell worked with his baseball team to help a fellow teammate sandbag his house. “I’m always there to have my teammate and friends’ backs when they need help,” O’Donnell said. “It felt good to give back to the community that has supported us for many years in school and athletics.”

Baseball wasn’t the only sport to show up: many PV teams stepped up to contribute to the flood protection efforts, including football, wrestling and dance.

Caden McDermott, a multisport senior athlete, was affected by the floods and greatly appreciated the help he received from all of his teammates. “I was a little surprised by all of the teammates that came out and helped,” he said. “I expected a few friends to show up, but to have all of the baseball team and a lot of the football team come out was a huge help. It really showed how sports are more than just a game.”

These recent events have assigned a whole new meaning to PV’s sports motto of “Spartan Nation” and how the school culture brings students and athletes together. “I can’t thank everyone enough because without the wall our house would be underwater,” McDermott concluded.

PV is stronger as a group and it is the united effort that helps students thrive.