Des Moines Flood Evacuations
On June 13, 2008, rising floodwaters on the Des Moines River forced evacuations of areas north of downtown Des Moines, Iowa.
Fast Facts
- Population of Des Moines: 190,000
- Des Moines is Iowa's largest city
- Rivers rising: Des Moines River and Raccoon River
- Last major floods to cause evacuations in Des Moines: 1993
- Evacuations expected to be more orderly than in 1993
- City's water treatment plant still operational; knocked out in 1993
500-Year Flood Event
The National Weather Service described the Iowa flooding as a "historic hydrological event," seen perhaps only once every 500 years.1 In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, floodwaters are expected to crest near 38 feet, and all of the downtown has been evacuated.
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