Flood fears again hit Ottumwa

By Judy Krieger, Courier Editor

June 14, 2008 12:16 am

— City under siege. That’s the way Ottumwans felt 15 years ago in July 1993, when the Des Moines River gushed over its banks. All hands were on duty. Citizens flocked to fill sandbags and shore up levees where they could. City and county officials went into crisis mode.
The river rose to 22.2 feet before it was all over. River waters lapped the underside of the Market Street Bridge and no daylight could be seen.
It was a scary, eerie sight.
Upstream at Eddyville and downstream at Eldon, Keosauqua, Bonaparte and Farmington, southern Iowa residents battled the raging waters.
Once again, Ottumwa beat the flood, recovered and made plans should it happen again.
This week it did, and so far the plans have paid off. We are keeping the river at bay, here, for right now.
Eddyville and Eldon are fighting hard, too, as the flood saga continues.
This year, though, it seems like the entire state is in emergency mode, with flood and tornadoes raking through so many of our major cities. Des Moines has been through it before. Cedar Rapids is getting deluged.
The typhoons of Myanmar and earthquakes of China are so far away.
These floods in Iowa are, for some, literally in our own back yards.
Once again, Iowans are reaching out to help other Iowans. Ottumwans are reaching out to help other Ottumwans, and so it goes up and down the rivers.
Once again, too, we remember the courage of other Ottumwans who, after two devastating floods in 1947 and 1949, worked hard to straighten the river and install other measures to forestall disasters of that magnitude from ever happening again.
As we watch river levels creep higher and higher, we can thank those Ottumwans from the 1950s and 60s who worked to insure such catastrophes would not happen again.
It is a never-ending battle with Mother Nature, and those of us who live near rivers and lakes and streams need to always remember she will win if she can.
We must remain vigilant in our developments along the river, with our plans for improvements and amenities that water can provide.
And always, always, we must keep an eye on the river. And be ready to act when needed.
Here is a big thank you to all Iowans and especially those in Ottumwa who keep working hard to keep us informed and are doing their best to keep us safe.
— Judy Krieger