Flood Threat Increases For Area Rivers, Creeks

A prolonged period of steady ready has increased the potential for flooding in the Cedar Valley and other parts of Northeast Iowa.

Moderate flooding is expected along portions of the Cedar River and Black Hawk Creek in Black Hawk County, while minor flooding is forecast along the Turkey River in Clayton County.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Cedar River at Cedar Falls through Saturday afternoon (Dec. 19, 2015). The warning runs from the West Fork Cedar River to the Cedar Falls-Waterloo city border. The Cedar is forecast to reach flood stage Tuesday morning and rise about 3.6 feet above the 88-foot level by midday Thursday, before cresting.

Meanwhile, a flood warning continues for Black Hawk Creek at Hudson through Thursday morning. The creek is expected to reach its 14-foot flood level this morning and rise another 2.4 feet before cresting Tuesday morning.

In Clayton County, a flood warning is in effort for the Turkey River at Garber until Wednesday afternoon. The river is forecast to reach its 17-foot flood stage this morning and increase to 19.7 feet by Tuesday morning. The Turkey River should fall below flood stage by Tuesday evening.

The weather system that began moving across Iowa Saturday evening dumped record amounts of rain in some areas of the state. In the Cedar Valley, 3.32 inches was reported at the Waterloo Regional Airport on Sunday, making it the wettest December day on record. The previous record was 1.68 inches on Dec. 5, 1982.

The rain is expected to end by midday on Monday, but return by mid-week. Light showers are forecast on Wednesday.

Flood Statements From The National Weather Service

The Flood Warning continues for ...
The Cedar River at Cedar Falls...or From the West Fork Cedar
River...to the Cedar Falls-Waterloo city limits.
* Until Saturday afternoon.
* At 4:45 AM Monday the stage was 84.8 feet...or 3.2 feet below
Flood Stage.
* Flood Stage is 88.0 feet.
* No flooding is occurring and Moderate flooding is forecast.
* Forecast...rise to Flood Stage Tuesday morning. Continue rising to
91.6 feet...or 3.6 feet above Flood Stage...midday Thursday. Then
begin falling and go below Flood Stage Saturday afternoon.
* Impact...At 91.2 feet...Water covers portions of Lake Street.

The Flood Warning continues for...
The Black Hawk Creek at Hudson...or From the Black Hawk-Grundy
County line...to the Cedar River in Waterloo.
* Until Thursday morning.
* At 4:45 AM Monday the stage was 13.0 feet...or 1.0 feet below
Flood Stage.
* Flood Stage is 14.0 feet.
* No flooding is occurring and Moderate flooding is forecast.
* Forecast...rise to Flood Stage this morning. Continue rising to
16.4 feet...or 2.4 feet above Flood Stage...Tuesday morning. Then
begin falling and go below Flood Stage Thursday morning.
* Impact...At 15.5 feet...Ranchero Road in Waterloo is under water.

The Flood Warning continues for ...
The Turkey River At Garber.
* from Monday morning to Wednesday afternoon.
* At 6:15 PM Sunday the stage was 10.4 feet.
* Flood stage is 17.0 feet.
* Minor flooding is forecast.
* Forecast...Rise above flood stage by Monday morning and continue to
rise to near 19.7 feet by Tuesday morning. The river will fall
below flood stage by Tuesday evening.
* Impact...At 19.0 feet...County Road X3C at the south end of Garber
becomes inundated.