SIOUX CITY, Iowa – June 22, 2024 – If you are planning a trip in northwest Iowa this weekend you need to be aware of several road closures that may slow down your trip. Between the evening of June 20 and morning of June 22, portions of northwest Iowa received significant rain, resulting in flooding along various primary highways. There are currently widespread flash flooding and river flooding issues.
Iowans are urged to closely monitor conditions and never enter a water-covered roadway. Flood waters can force a vehicle off the roadway. In addition, it is not uncommon for roadways and shoulders to be damaged when flooded, presenting unsafe conditions for motorists.
The Iowa Department of Transportation has issued the warning of travel strongly discouraged in the counties of Lyon, Sioux, O’Brien, Clay, Emmet, and Dickinson.
As of 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, there are 20+ specific locations on the primary highway system with road closures. Not all of the closures will allow for detours as the secondary roadways are also flooded. The Iowa DOT suggests visiting 511ia.org as it has the most up to date roadway closures. Turn around and don’t drown.
The Iowa DOT is working with other state agencies to assist local communities in flood response. This includes traffic control and pumps. Flood recovery will begin once the rain stops, and flood waters can recede.
The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system.
(Corning, Iowa) – A traffic stop Tuesday west of Corning resulted in the arrest of a woman on drug charges. According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies made the traffic stop on Highway 34 at Gingko Avenue. During an investigation that followed, the K9 “Midge” was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.
The driver, 66-year-old Marlene Dewylia Dukes, of Villisca, was subsequently arrested on charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine, Operating While Intoxicated, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Dukes was transported to the Adams County Jail and later posted bond.
Hawkeye Ten
Council Bluffs Lincoln 7, Glenwood 1
Denison-Schleswig 10, MVAOCOU 0
Lewis Central 11, Atlantic 1
Harlan 8, St. Albert 4
Underwood 2, Creston 1
Western Iowa Conference
AHSTW 4, IKM-Manning 3
Tri-Center 12, Audubon 2
Treynor 12, Missouri Valley 2
Corner Conference
Stanton 10, East Mills 0 – Corner Conference Tournament
Rolling Valley Conference
Coon Rapids-Bayard 12, Ar-We-Va 0
Woodbine 14, Boyer Valley 2
CAM 13, Exira-EHK 3
West Central Activities Conference
Waukee Northwest 18, Van Meter 8
Alta-Aurelia 8, Madrid 3
Perry 5, West Central Valley 0
Hawkeye Ten
Denison-Schleswig 7, Spencer 2
Glenwood 2, Saydel 1
St. Albert 11, Harlan 10
Denison-Schleswig 7, Spencer 2
Western Iowa Conference
AHSTW 11, IKM-Manning 1
#7 Audubon 10, Tri-Center 0
Treynor 7, #8 Missouri Valley 2
Corner Conference
Griswold 9, Fremont-Mills 6 – (Corner Conference Tournament Champions)
Rolling Valley Conference
Coon Rapids-Bayard 6, Ar-We-Va 4
Woodbine 16, Boyer Valley 5
Raccoon River Conference
Carlisle 3, Solon 2
#12 Bondurant-Farrar 11, Roland-Story 0
#8 ADM 11, Knoxville 0
#13 Urbandale 9, Boone 6
#11 Winterset 7, #12 Waukee 5
West Central Activities Conference
Glidden-Ralston 5, Panorama 4
Nevada 6, Ogden 5
STATEWIDE — Following heavy rainfall throughout Northern Iowa, the DNR encourages Iowans to stay out of streams until the waters recede. Heavy rain has inundated several areas of Iowa and led to multiple wastewater discharges, flooded waterways in northwest Iowa, and park closures across the state.
Wastewater and Drinking Water
The DNR Field Office in Spencer was notified early this (Friday) morning of several wastewater bypasses and animal feeding operation discharges in Lyon, Sioux, Dickinson, O’Brien, Osceola, and Clay counties. Currently, the department is unaware of impacts to municipal drinking water supplies or fish kills. DNR staff will continue to monitor these situations and assist impacted communities.
Heavy rainfall can overload wastewater collection systems and underground sewer pipes carrying sewage to a treatment plant. With sewage pipes overwhelmed, excess water has nowhere to go and can back up into basements through floor drains. Bypassing can lower the water level and alleviate pressure in the collection system, keeping sewage from backing up into basements, which could present health risks.
State Park Impacts
In the Iowa Great Lakes area, some docks, boat ramps, public beaches, and roads are underwater and may be closed over the next several days due to changing conditions and potential hazards.
George Wyth State Park, in Waterloo, will close Monday at 3:00 pm due to predicted levels of the Cedar River. The park will remain closed through Friday, depending on additional rainfall.
Dolliver State Park, near Lehigh, the Des Moines River is expected to crest at 15 feet during the next few days, which will close the road through the park.
Wilson Island Recreation Area in Pottawattamie County is predicted to be flooded by the rising Missouri River later in the week.
Campers who have made a reservation will be notified if there is a campground closure. More areas may be impacted with additional rainfall. Plan ahead and visit the DNR’s Alerts and Closures web page for the latest information: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures
Rivers and Lakes
Due to heavy rainfall, rivers and lakes in Northern Iowa are unsafe for swimming or boating. Fast currents, floating debris, hidden obstacles, and the potential of bacteria make these areas dangerous. Boaters and paddlers should plan ahead as additional areas may become unsafe as flood waters move downstream.
The CAM Cougars baseball team had another strong win against the Exira-EHK Spartans Friday night by ending the ball game with a 13-3 score through five innings. To start the ball game both teams exchanged base hits but were tied after the 1st inning. Making it seem that this would be another competitive Rolling Valley matchup. The game’s momentum completely shifted in the 2nd inning when CAM’s first three batters all had base hits to load up the bases with no outs. Then back-to-back hitters were hit by pitches to give the Cougars the lead at 2-0. Then the runs started pouring in for CAM as they would total 8 hits in the top of the 2nd making the score 10-0 after relief pitcher Jameson Kilworth came in to retire the next three batters he faced. The Spartans had no response in the bottom of the 2nd and their batters wouldn’t even reach second base till the fifth inning due to another impressive night from Makade Paulsen.
CAM would tack on 1 run in the 4th and 2 in the 5th to make the game 13-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth. There with two outs Exira-EHK would score 3 runs with an RBI single from Alex Hansen and a 2 RBI grounder from Jaiden Pettepier. With the score sitting at 13-3 through five innings, the officials called the end of the ball game.
Cougars Head Coach Drew Ticknor credited his team’s vision at the plate to create that massive 10 run lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning.
Coach Ticknor applauded the effort from Makade Paulsen on both sides of the game pitching 5 innings, having 4 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks, and no runs. Paulsen also went 3-4 at the plate with 2 RBI’s.
The victory for CAM gets them to a double-digit win record at 10-6 on the season. The Cougars will be back at home on Monday against a competitive Coon Rapids-Bayard team.
The Spartans’ leading hitter was Austin Rasmussen who had the only extra base hit for Exira-EHK while also going 2-3. The Spartans will start their road trip on Monday against a talented Woodbine squad.
(Radio Iowa) – Flood warnings were issued in far northwest Iowa, Friday (June 21), as water levels continue to rise after eight inches of rain fell Thursday night. Rock Valley Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo is closely monitoring the Rock River that runs north of the town of four-thousand in Sioux County as more rain is expected. It reached record levels during devastating flooding ten years ago, and it could get there again.
The projections are pretty close to the 22-point-seven inches for the crest in 2014. During the past several years, Rock Valley built berms to protect property and people. Sandbagging is underway not only in Rock Valley but other communities in nearby Lyon and Plymouth counties.
Van Otterloo says evacuations could be ordered.
Rock Valley will decide sometime this afternoon if it will evacuate the northern part of the city. Other nearby communities also fearful of flooding include Sioux Rapids, Hawarden, and Akron. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says a woman who tried to drive through a flooded roadway in rural Spencer went into a waterfilled ditch and had to be rescued by two people entered the water, broke the rear window and removed the woman. Within minutes after the rescue, the vehicle was fully under water.
(article by Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio via Radio Iowa)