Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:18:55 -0500
Reply-To: James Fritz <jlfritz@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: James Fritz <jlfritz@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Lost Vanagons in the Iowa Flooding?
In-Reply-To: <20080615154109.661397F4042@pop6.cfu.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Max et al......
Well, we went well past our 500 year flood projection. Happily,
Decorah is protected by a dike system that held. However, another
foot of vertical rise and half of the town would have been inundated
(including my Westy......which is still for sale BTW). I've lived in
this house for 22 years and have now experienced 2 "100 year floods"
and a "500+ year flood". Don't get me started on climate
change...................
I live on the banks of the Upper Iowa and own the two houses on
either side of me...(my mother and mother-in-law homes). I
sandbagged for well over 12 hours and then spent the next 36 manning
the sump pumps. Once the Upper Iowa receded (we're only 40 miles
from the headwaters so flood events, while spectacular, are short-
lived) the town started cleaning up. Normal river levels are around
6', flood stage is 12' and we crested at 18'.
I've spent the past 4 days hauling sogging things out of 3
basements. My sandbag wall held so all I got was clean seepage
through the cracks of the floor, walls, etc. Yesterday we blitzed
all three houses (with the help of friends) and power washed,
bleached, and cleaned. Now its lots of AC, dehumidifiers, and fans
to dry out. We were able to catch it fast enough that if we really
dry things out it should mitigate mold issues.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and Des Moines are
actually in much worse condition. The waters have risen higher, will
take longer to recede, and the ensuing damage will be exponentially
worse. 88 of th3e 99 counties in Iowa have been declared disaster
areas. Flooded fields out number dry ones.
The amazing thing about all of this is the obvious demonstration of
"Iowa Spirit". Neighbors know their neighbors and care about them.
They turn out in droves to volunteer. They come back to help clean
up. They risk life and limb.
Its a proud time to be an Iowan.
Think dry!
Jim in Iowa
1989 Westy 85K actual miles and still for sale
1966 Beetle
1953 Beetle
On Jun 15, 2008, at 10:38 AM, Max Wellhouse wrote:
> Troops: Let's hope no one has to go through the flooding that North
> East Iowa has endured this past week or so. The only Vanagoner from
> the list in the Cedar Rapids area I think is Donald Baxter,. and we
> haven't heard from him in a while. Hope he's okay. Any time the
> authorities evacuate people in the 500 year flood plain, then that's
> serious flooding. The current crest is now scheduled for next
> Tuesday if yesterday's rains don't jack it up again. I'm not sure
> Interstate 80 has ever been closed due to flooding, but that's the
> case today. I know Jim Fritz was trying to sell his Vanagon in
> Decorah and he lived more or less on the Upper Iowa, so we hope he's
> not badly affected either. The Upper Iowa is receding now, but still
> high. Al Brase's stash of Vanagons should be okay in Cedar Falls,
> but he does/did have a rented shop in downtown Waterloo that had a
> couple of VW's a Corvette and a 911/912 in it and they may have been
> nailed by the flood waters. Al's residence sits pretty high in the
> city, so it was okay.
>
> Our situation is okay too, but the school that my wife worked at last
> school year had water lapping up on the front door and both
> playgrounds were under water. The new housing development to the
> east of the school is a total loss. Our sandbagging efforts did save
> the Cedar Falls Sewage Plant so our drinking water is safe for the
> time being, but Cedar Rapids will run out of safe water to drink in a
> day or two. I spent the better part of a 12 hour overtime shift at
> work yesterday doing nothing but sending bottled water, Bounty
> towels, first aid kits, plastic cutlery, and Clorox wipes and cleaner
> to the areas hardest hit. 12 semi truck loads in all. Even the
> Winnebago River has had its way with Mason City. Des Moines has
> flooding, but not to the extent we have it in the Eastern section of
> the state. Quaker Oats is totally shut down til further notice, you
> oatmeal fans better prepare. Cedar Rapids is the 2nd largest city in
> Iowa and literally 100's of city blocks are under water and Iowa City
> and the University are getting it as well.
>
> The Cedar And Iowa Rivers are showing what they're capable of and the
> estimates of the damage are in the billions of dollars. Fortunately,
> I don't think anyone has died as a result yet, but the Cedar and Iowa
> rivers are now predicted to get below flood stage around June
> 24th. Then the Mississippi will have to deal with all this
> fluid. The farmers had a very rough, wet, and cold spring to try and
> plant their corn and beans, so we could see $10/bu. corn by
> fall. all three major TV stations have all but dropped their
> national feeds to cover and communicate information to the
> public. We haven't seen a national newscast in a week or
> better. The local TV anchors have to be absolutely exhausted
> covering all this.
>
> DM&FS
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