Wapsi flooding in DeWitt; Rock flooding expected this weekend

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By Thomas Geyer | Thursday, March 1, 2007 10:07 PM CST | () comments

BREAKING NEWS: (Updated 10:12 p.m.) Moderate flooding is expected Saturday along the Rock River in Moline, while the already flooding Wapsipinicon at DeWitt, Iowa, is forecast to crest today, according to meteorologist Linda Engebretson of the National Weather Service, Davenport.

“The Wapsi is already flooding and moving pretty good,” she said Thursday night.

As of 7:40 p.m. Thursday, the Wapsipinicon at DeWitt was at 11:55 feet. It is expected to crest today at 11.8 feet, she said. Flood stage is 11 feet.

At 9 p.m. Thursday, the Rock River at Moline was at 10.79 feet, ” and is going to keep rising,” Engebretson said, adding that the river is expected to crest at 13 feet Saturday causing moderate flooding. Flood stage at Moline is 12 feet.

The Rock River at Joslin, Ill., was at 9.87 feet as of 8:30 p.m. Thursday, she said. The river at Joslin is expected to crest at 13.5 feet Saturday. Flood stage is 12 feet.

Duck Creek in Davenport had overflowed its banks and was affecting some parts of the bike trail and some back yards, Engebretson said. But the creek was falling Thursday night.

“Duck Creek at Kimberly topped out at 11.5 feet at 10:23 a.m. Thursday,” she said. “As of 8:15 p.m. it was down to 10.1 feet, so it’s dropping.” Flood stage of Duck Creek at Kimberly is 12 feet.

Duck Creek has banks that are higher in some places and lower in others, she said.

“In Bettendorf the banks of Duck Creek are higher and it’s not so much of an issue,” she said. “But in the eastern part of Davenport, the banks are lower, such as at Brady Street.”

Davenport Public Works Director Dee Bruemmer said crews went along Duck Creek on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday clearing ice and debris to help prevent ice jams.

High winds will continue to affect the area today, Engebretson said. “Strap down anything that’s loose,” she said.

Storms such as these are not uncommon at this time of the year, she added.

“We’re in that transition period otherwise known as spring, and it’ll do things like be 41 degrees one day and be windy and cold with snow the next,” she said. “What is that saying about March, in like a lion? Well, here’s our lion.”

Terry Swails, chief meteorologist at KWQC-TV6 ,said the high Thursday reached a balmy 50 degrees. The storms that rolled through Thursday, mostly during the overnight hours and which brought a nice electrical display to boot, dumped a total of .83 of an inch of rain at the Quad-City International Airport near Moline.

“We’ll have occasionally snow all day long today with winds of 25-30 mph,” he said, adding that in the metro area accumulations could be two to three inches. “Most of our area is going to see one to three inches,” he added.

While the portion of the storm that hit this area has been bad, he said, “We dodged a bullet. It could have been a lot worse. Just look at what happened west of us.”

He said it will take until Saturday for the winds to die down.

“But Sunday, things look much better,” he said.

Highs will be in the low 30s and there will be some sunshine and lighter winds. It will be a much better day.”

Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com.