Hundreds Flee Iowa City as River Crests

Iowa man remembers a day at the levee

(NEWSER) - Even when it proves futile, sandbagging is an experience with its own unique rewards, writes an Iowa resident in the New York Times. “Passing sandbags is a personal thing,” Joe Blair notes in an essay. “The line may be 300 feet long,” but for you, “it’s intimate, a three-person event. You take. You turn. You give. You get to know people.” The levee overflowed despite their efforts, but Blair's at peace with that. More»

Rising waters have already led to floods in other areas

(NEWSER) - The Midwest continues to struggle with flooding, as a small Iowa town evacuated today to escape the rising waters of the Missouri River. The Army Corps of Engineers is building an emergency levee to hold back the waters, which are expected to reach record levels in the next few weeks thanks to melting snow in the Rockies, heavy rain, and release of reservoir water from Montana and the Dakotas. More»

92-year-old dam fails, and Lake Delhi all but vanishes

(NEWSER) - A 9-mile-long Iowa lake essentially disappeared on Saturday after surging floodwaters caused its 92-year-old dam to fail. As water breached a 300-foot section of Lake Delhi's dam, the rapid change in water pressure caused windows to shatter and interior walls to collapse in nearby cabins. By yesterday afternoon, what remained was a steep cliff where the shore once was, the scent of rotting fish in the air, and lawns covered in water-logged furniture, carpet, and mattresses. More»

(NEWSER) - Gay marriages will begin taking place in Iowa on April 24, the Des Moines Register reports. The state supreme court’s ruling today that prohibiting the unions is unconstitutional applies to Iowans as well as visitors, because the state has no residency laws for marriage. “I’m off the wall,” said a Democratic state senator who is gay. “I’m very pleased to be an Iowan.” More»

City council mulls ban on after-work rite, other drink specials

(NEWSER) - Concerned about underage and binge drinking, Iowa City may ban happy hours at a meeting next month, the AP reports. The city council ordinance would require establishments with alcohol licenses or permits to submit to the city clerk a set schedule of prices that could not change by the day or hour. The city has also been considering a ban on price specials. More»