The threat of flooding has forced the partial closure of Fletcher Ave. in Waterloo.

City officials said the flood gates along Black Hawk Creek were shut around 11 AM Friday, due to rising water in Black Hawk Creek. Fletcher Ave. is currently closed between University Ave. and U.S. Highway 63 (Sergeant Road), where the street passes through Hope Martin Park.

The flood gates will remain closed until water levels recede and safe travel can once again be guaranteed, city officials said.

A flood watch is posted for Black Hawk Creek at Hudson, or from the Black Hawk-Grundy County line to the Cedar River in Waterloo. The flood watch is in effect until Sunday afternoon.

At 5:45 AM Saturday, the flood stage was 13.0 feet, or one-foot below the 14-foot flood stage. The creek is expected to rise about a half-foot above flood stage Saturday evening before cresting.

Black Hawk Creek is a tributary of the Cedar River, which is under a flood warning at Cedar Falls through Tuesday morning. The flood warning was issued Friday morning because the river is expected to overflow its banks between the West Fork Cedar River and the Cedar Falls-Waterloo city limits. Officials are predicting minor flooding.

As of 5:45 AM Saturday, the water level at Cedar Falls was at 88.7 feet or 0.3 feet below the 89-foot flood stage. No flooding was occurring, but forecasters were predicting the river to rise to 90.6-feet by Sunday afternoon before cresting. The river is expected to fall below flood stage on Tuesday.

Heavy rain this week has increased the risk of flooding across much of Iowa, given that rivers and streams were already running high following record snowfall this past winter. A large portion of the state is currently under a flood watch. The area of concern is generally south and east of a line that extends from Dubuque to Waterloo, then runs diagonally from Waterloo to Marshalltown and Des Moines.

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