PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (IA) Heavy rains cause record flooding in the Des Moines area metro

Date: Sun, 01 Jul 2018 10:44:19 EDT

Summary: USGS crews respond to over 7 inches of rain that fell in the Des Moines metro area overnight.

Over 7 inches of rain fell in central Iowa overnight according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Some areas in the Des Moines metro reported 10 inches of rain overnight and one death occurred according to the Des Moines Register. Some areas in Des Moines have been ordered to evacuate due to rapidly rising streams.

20 USGS streamgages are currently over the NWS flood stage in Iowa. Two crews of two people each have been deployed to the Des Moines area to verify streamgage readings and make streamflow measurements. Thre streamgages with 15 to 47 years of record already crested above the previous peak of record. All streamgages are operational.

Communication is being made with the NWS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other emergency response agencies, primarily through NWSChat.

Iowa WaterWatch flood table
Iowa WaterWatch flood map