How you can help those that have been flooded out.
First an anatomy of the Great Floods of 2008, in my untrained, but observant, view. The Floods began around Thanksgiving of 2007. How is this?? Quite easy, that's the first snow fall we had in my part of the world. For the next three months there was measurable snow fall every other day to every third day and snow continued into March. In Cedar Rapids, the airport (the official measuring location and well to the south of town) measured around 63 to 64 inches of snow for the season.
In a 'normal' year there would be between 30 and 35 inches of snow and there would be a significant January Thaw. However, this year, the thaw didn't really occur. We did have a brief thaw, but not a 'real' one. Normally, at least half of the snow would melt off during the January Thaw. Then Spring came. And its rains. It rained darn near every day in the months of April and May (or at least it seemed that way).
My photos of the flooding:
http://good-times.webshots.com/...
Read on....
As of last week we've had over 25 inches of precipitation for the calendar year. (I'm not sure if that includes snow or not, but I think it does.) That is at least twice what we normally get by this time in the calendar year.
The moisture excess is not limited to the Cedar Rapids area, but the entire eastern half of the state of Iowa (at least). During the months of April and May there were several counties where driving on county roads were restricted for weeks on end due to the excessive moisture in the roads (and frost heave). I know that Allamakee County was one such county (which is located near the northeast corner of the state).
The combination of a heavy snowfall for the year, no real January Thaw, a wet spring, and a few very, very heavy rainfalls in a short time are what caused this flood. We all knew it was a long wet spring from various signs, aside from it raining every ((*&$%$* day. There is a band of concrete that encircles Mays Island (where the City Hall, County Court house and County Jail are located) and, at least I do, one can see how high the Cedar River is, or not.
When this band is reached (you can see it near the spring line of the bridge, at what is called the bow in the above photo), water is high and it's very common for the spring floods and rain to bring the river up to this level for a few weeks. Normally, buy this time of the year the water is 5+ feet lower than this band. However, since the other side of the river thawed out, the river had not gotten more than one or two feet below this band. When we had the massive rains (6 or more inches in a night in some areas, several times in a two week time frame), there wasn't enough room in the river for the rainfall/watershed from up river.
Stats:
Crest Friday, June 13th, late morning at 31.12 feet. Previous record was 20 feet, 1851 and 1927. The 1993 flood level was around 19.5 feet.
Roughly 1300 square blocks went under water, or around 9.2 square miles. Around 4000 homes and 1000 business buildings were damaged or destroyed. Around 300 homes were labeled 'purple', which means that the people that lived there cannot re-enter, at all, period. Around 2000 homes were labeled 'red', which means that there was heavy damage to the structure. But, with the CR Fire Department, the people living there will get a chance to enter to try to salvage something, but the building is basically lost. Roughly 40,000 people are out of their homes. I'm making a rough guess in that around 10% of our housing was lost on June 12th. (Guessing 125k population - average household 4 people - 31k households - 4000/31000 = .129)
There are places that flooded that the 'white man' has never, ever seen flooded. Whole towns went under, roads washed out, bridges lost, and fortunately, very few fatalities. Mercy hospital was put where it was because it was so far from the river (10 blocks away and the land is sloping up there), yet the water got to hip level there on the 12th.
Stories, Rumors, etc:
FEMA - Yes, they're helping, but only in monetary means. Then, they're trying to get out of helping in some cases. Point - one of the women on our van's daughter was renting in the 'flood zone', although on the edge. Water got a few inches in the main level of the house. FEMA said, since there is a 'Red' tag on the house, they can't go in and therefore there's no proof that the water got into the main level, go away now.... They appealed and now have an appointment to show where the level was on the outside of the house and it will show that it did get to the main level.
A friend of a friend had a home in the Time Check area and has a 'Red' label. When FEMA and the home owner tried to get into it for inspection, they were not allowed. The FEMA person told the friend, tough luck, here's the paperwork, I won't be back.
True story: FEMA has basically shorted the time in which people can file requests for aide. The Parkersburg Tornado is considered the 'starting' point in which their time frame is measured, all other events are 'tacked on' to it. So, everyone in Iowa has 60 days from that tornado to file. The Parkersburg Tornado was on May 25th, three weeks before the flooding. People now have just under one month to file.
A friend of mine works as a 'debt counselor', or representative payee, something like that.... Anyway, last night he told me that for those that intend to file for bankruptcy, the money received from FEMA will count as income and therefore stop bankruptcy proceedings. There will be a six month 'wait' period before there can be a re-eval of income for determining eligiblity for bankruptcy. Also, there are very specific things that FEMA money can be spent on. Some people already have had money deposited into their accounts, but have not received a letter/documentation of what they're allowed to spend the money on.
Rumor has it that all of Time Check and Czech Village will be condemned, razed and made into a large park. However, that side didn't flood as bad as the downtown area. Why is the downtown area sacred and the residential not?? The city has not made any official decision and people are getting impatient. Most everyone is intent upon rebuilding. Although, some believe it would be best for there to be some type of buffer.
On Thursday, June 12th, 3 of the 4 pumps for fresh water were disabled. Around 10pm that night, the city asked for help to protect the final pump. Within 20 minutes there were an estimated 1200 people there and they had to announce that there were enough people. There's something about saying that if we don't get help, you're not going to have water that will get people moving. The extra people were sent over to Mercy Hospital to try to save it.
Today, I found out that I was directly affected by the floods (other than the inconvenience of travel and water conservation). I found out that my mother's grandmother clock has most likely been destroyed. Dad had it in the 'shop' for repairs. The shop had water to the rafters. Here's why this particular clock is so important to me: My dad was in the USAF for 22 years. In 1974 we were living at San Vito air station in southeastern Italy. Dad had some issues with his feet and was sent medivac to the regional medical center in Germany (Wiesbaden, sp??). After he had the treatment, he walked around looking for a German Clock. He found one and when he tried to get it back on the plane to go back, the flight crew said no way. Dad asked him if he wanted to tell the new base commander that?? Dad got the clock on the plane. Mom was very happy to have received this clock. They both had wanted one for years. Dad made a special box for it, so that it could be shipped back to the US. You could hear that clock everywhere in the house we lived in while at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi for. You could almost hear it all over the old house here in Cedar Rapids (it's a big house). When they recently moved to the new house, it was given a place of pride and once again heard throughout the house. It's just a special sound with lots of memories attached to it. It was one of the 'things' that I had strong connections with in regards to my Mom. I knew how much she loved that clock. Now both are gone. I know I still have the memories, but still....... it hurts, a whole lot.
Pictures of flooding:
http://www.kkrq.com/...
Many of you have posted responses in other threads about how to help those affected by the floods. Here's how:
The Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation is collecting funds for anyone affected by the floods. They have announced that 100% of the money collected for this effort will go directly to those affected. (They will not collect/charge a 'service' fee for this effort.)
http://www.gcrcf.org/
The Iowa Council of Foundations is a central location for different groups that don't necessarily have a web site, or web site set up to accept donations:
http://www.iowacounciloffoundations....
Service agencies:
The Mennonite Relief Society - very good
http://www.mds.mennonite.net/
Red Cross - They have been helping a whole lot. They're maintaining several shelters in the area. There have been two locations where they've been distributing water and clean up kits (and I don't think they were asking questions before giving them out). They have a 'center' set up to help people get in touch with others, get replacement medications, counseling, or just a shoulder.:
Cedar Rapids Chapter:
http://grantwood-redcross.org/...
Waterloo Chapter:
http://www.hawkeyechapter.org/
Des Moines Chapter:
http://www.desmoines-redcross.org/
Quad Cities Chapter:
http://www.qcredcross.org/
Quincy Illinois Chapter:
http://www.redcrossadams.org/
United Way - They have been helping quite a bit and have been a central repository of information and distribution of information. They will get you in contact with the group you need to be in contact with:
Cedar Rapids Area:
http://www.uweci.org/
Johnson County area (Iowa City):
http://www.unitedwayjc.org/
Salvation Army - They have been in their 'canteens' since day one passing out food, no questions asked. It may not be the best of food, but it's food and water. They lost their primary facility to the floods as well and are still giving to the community:
http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/...
Cedar Valley Humane Society - They were taking in pets - I'm not sure if they're the ones responsible for the animal shelter out at Kirkwood though.:
http://www.petfinder.com/...
Medical help - Mercy and St. Lukes have been giving out free tetanus shots, no questions. Others have been helping as they can:
Mercy Hospital (they also flooded out - They have given each of their employees that were affected by the floods a gift card valued at $750 each to use as needed. They are also allowing other employees to help those affected on 'company' time.):
http://www.mercycare.org/
St Luke's Hospital - (they have given their affected employees a gift card valued at $500 each):
http://www.stlukescr.org/
Crisis Center of Johnson County:
http://www.jccrisiscenter.org/
Free Medical of Iowa City:
http://www.freemedicalclinic.org/
Linn County (Cedar Rapids) Free Clinic:
http://www.communityhfc.org/
Social agencies that have been helping, or have lost their primary location (sometimes only location) - It definitely wouldn't hurt to help them out a little.
Meals on Wheels - They provide one meal a day to home bound elderly/handicapped people.:
http://www.horizonsfamily.org/
Witwer Senior Citizens Center - They are an organization where elderly can get help with various things, provide a social outlet, and 'adult daycare'. Their building is located at 2nd Ave and 3rd St SE (it went under) and used to be the old train station.:
http://www.volunteersolutions.org/...
Cedar Rapids YMCA - They provided lots of youth sports outlets. They lost their primary building on 8th Ave and 4th St SE:
http://www.crmetroymca.org/
Cedar Rapids Girl Scouts - Y'all know all about these little rascals that come knocking every year with their cookie temptations. They lost their primary location and all records.:
http://www.cedar-rapids.org/... (this isn't a link to the organization itself. I don't know the local 'chapter' name, but is a link to the local group recent activity that has the email address for local people that you can get in contact with)
Cultural Sites that suffered serious damage:
Czech Museum and Library:
http://www.ncsml.org/
Theater Cedar Rapids (located at 1st Ave and 3rd St SE):
http://www.theatrecr.org/
Cedar Rapids Symphony (part of, but separate from the Paramount):
http://www.crsymphony.org/
Paramount Theater (located on 3rd Ave between 1st and 2nd St SE):
http://www.uscellularcenter.com/...
Ushers Ferry (an area set aside for kids to learn about the 'old' days)
http://www.cedar-rapids.org/...
African American Museum (located on 8th Ave between 1st and 2nd St SE):
http://www.blackiowa.org/
Cedar Rapids Public Library (located on 1st St, between 4th and 5th Aves SE) - they lost 3/4 of their collection:
http://crlibrary.info/
University of Iowa Foundation (committed to helping with the humanitarian needs of their employees that were affected by the floods and any 'extras' will then go to repairs of the buildings):
https://www.uifoundation.org/...
General Information from news and general sites related to the flooding:
Corridor Recovery Site:
http://www.corridorrecovery.org/...
Cedar Rapids Gazette on line:
http://www.gazetteonline.com/
KCRG TV 9:
http://www.kcrg.com/
Iowa City Press Citizen:
http://www.press-citizen.com/...
Des Moines Register:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/...
Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are not the only locations to have had severe flooding this year. Basically the eastern half of Iowa went under. Whole towns are now gone for all practical purposes. Most aren't really talked about - Mason City, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Independence, Vinton, Palo, Columbus Junction, Burlington, Quincy. CR and IC are talked about because CR is the second largest town in the state (Des Moines being bigger - the Quad Cities are technically larger, but are considered individually for population stats).
other posts on dkos about flooding here - in order of most recent to oldest:
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