Flash Flood in Polk County, Iowa

Very high water along the Des Moines River continued to put stress on the levee system in Des Moines. The crest had passed, however water levels were still within about a foot of the record crest. A weak spot in the levee in the Birdland Park area gave way in spite of the heroic effort put forth by the citizens and the National Guard to shore the levee up. A breech of about 100 feet in width occurred around 0230 CST. This caused very rapid water rises of about 4 feet in the flooded area within an hour, and about 8 feet within several hours. A mandatory evacuation order was given by the Des Moines Police. About 271 homes were affected by the flooding. The flooding continued after this time, however the flashy nature was past by the early afternoon. Several businesses were affected as well as a High School. Damage to one fertilizer and chemical business was around $3,000,000 for example, while $1,100,000 damage was done to North High School.