So, we've had two levee breaks in Southeastern Illinois (near Lawrenceville and St. Francisville).
A portion of the Mississippi River is going to be closed for at least two weeks to boat traffic.
ALL roads in Jasper County were closed because of flooding.
The county I grew up in was one of the six declared a disaster area. All the creeks flooded out and traffic was compromised.
My brother says portions of 121 and 130 were closed last weekend because of water covering the road.
My sister went to Chicago last weekend, and near Arcola I-57 was down to ONE lane of traffic; meaning, the State Police had barricaded ALL four lanes because of water on the roads and were only letting ONE vehicle through at a time. You wanted to go north or south, you had to wait your turn. And no, 45 wasn't an option; it was in even worse shape.
A friend who was going to Robinson had to stop at the grain elevator in Willow Hill because Rte. 33 was covered with water and only trucks could get through. She called her dad and he came to get her (in his truck, of course!).
The fields are soaking wet or flooded and crop yields are taking a hit; possibly as much as 5% of corn and beans are lost.
The weatherman said something last night about how we're TEN inches over our normal rainfall for this time of year, and I haven't heard when this cycle of cold air from up north butting into a tropical high and generating storms is going to stop.
I read a story many years ago in either the Chicago Tribune or the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about how the Flood of 1993 started, and honestly, it feels like we're living that story all over again, just about 200 miles south and 100+ miles east of Iowa.
Any one else out there who lived through the 1993 floods feeling the same way as me?
In 1993, I lived in Springfield and went over a couple of days to volunteer for sandbagging. On one afternoon, we were in a small boat bringing the sandbags to the levee and we saw it start to fail. We saw a little water flowing over the top, and knew that a lot of the wall would be gone soon. Being in the water and looking down at the land was sort of surreal.
Are they calling for volunteers yet this year?
According to Capitol Fax yesterday, they were getting good assistance from lower-level folks at Ill. Emergency Mgmt., but the closer you got to the top the less helpful they got. It's my understanding Red Cross has established some flood shelters, but don't know if they are asking for volunteers/supplies from our area yet. Perhaps someone could call tomorrow and get more info. for all of us?
From Capitol Fax today:
Wabash Valley Flood Relief Fund
c/o Farmers & Merchants Bank of Hutsonville
PO Box 277
Hutsonville, IL 62433
Were you sandbagging at Quincy? I had a friend who was in the National Guard back then who was sent to Quincy to sandbag, and he had lots of interesting stories to tell.
Were you sandbagging at Quincy? I had a friend who was in the National Guard back then who was sent to Quincy to sandbag, and he had lots of interesting stories to tell.
No, I think we were just working along the Illinois River, not the Mississippi.
What part of the Illinois River? I don't remember it flooding so much that year until later in the spring/summer, when it got backed up because the water couldn't flow into the Mississippi.
What part of the Illinois River? I don't remember it flooding so much that year until later in the spring/summer, when it got backed up because the water couldn't flow into the Mississippi.
Maybe near Eldred? I didn't drive either day - caught rides with other people. Yeah, this would have been in late July. I also remember that there was a tent, and some medical people giving out tetanus shots.
I liked the flood of 1993. Spent many hours flying up and down the river in the Burlington, IA - Hannibal, MO segment, taking pictures. I wouldn't mind doing that again. I just hope the people in Keokuk and Ft Madison figure out how to keep their nice old train stations dry this time around.