Pictures of Iowa Flood, Mississippi and Cedar River Rise
Record Flooding Puts Mississippi River on Lock Down
As all three of the Midwest's major rivers — the Missouri, Illinois, and Mississippi — rise above flood level, residents face record flooding and mandatory evacuations. Today the US Army Corps of Engineers plans to close nine locks and dams on the upper Mississippi River.
Closing the locks means that the economic repercussions of the flooding will rise along with the rivers — the decision will halt traffic on 200 miles of prime commercial waterway. Good thing gas is cheap, so they can just use roads to transport all those goods!
As for some good news, Iowan volunteers who filled and piled up sandbags in downtown Cedar Falls, Iowa, have been able to protect their city's center. You can see them at work in the pictures below. 200 locations have been flooded across the US, and flood warnings have been issued in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Montana, according to the National Weather Services. Are you seeing any flood action near you?
- Gabrielle Steenblock, 8, walks across a flooded street near downtown Cedar Rapids.
- The Federal Building stands on an island next to the rising Cedar River.
- Streets Department employee moves sandbags.
- Eight year old Sammy Petersen watches as rising water inundates the low lying area of the Czech Village.
- A resident rushes to fill sandbags.
