CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — Widespread rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches over the last week have fallen across portions of Iowa and Illinois, causing many river levels to rise in the region, according to a River Flooding forecast from BAMWeather covering Monday through Wednesday. Forecast river gauge levels will reach moderate to major flood stage early to mid-week, most notably the English and Wapsipinicon Rivers in Iowa. If you live near any of these waterways, this week is when the flooding threat becomes most serious.
English River Near Cedar Rapids Forecast to Reach Major Flood Stage
If you live along the English River, southwest of Cedar Rapids, this is the river forecasters are watching most closely this week, with levels forecast to reach Major flood stage, the most serious category on the four-tier scale. Communities near the river between Cedar Rapids and Burlington should expect significant flooding impacts as levels crest sometime between Monday and Wednesday, given how much rain has already fallen across the surrounding watershed.
Wapsipinicon River Also Forecast to Hit Major Flood Stage This Week
Just northeast of the English River, the Wapsipinicon River, which flows through the area between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, is also forecast to reach Major flood stage this week. If you’re in communities along this river’s path, expect the same serious flooding concerns as the English River, with both waterways representing the highest-severity flooding threat identified anywhere on this week’s outlook.
Turkey River Near Dubuque Forecast for Moderate Flooding
North of the Wapsipinicon, the Turkey River, which flows into the Mississippi near Dubuque, is forecast to reach Moderate flood stage this week. If you live along the Turkey River between Waterloo and Dubuque, expect noticeable flooding impacts, though not quite to the same severe level forecast for the English and Wapsipinicon Rivers farther south.
Fox River Near Davenport Also Expected to Reach Moderate Flood Stage
To the southeast, closer to the Illinois border, the Fox River near Davenport is forecast to reach Moderate flood stage as well. Residents along this stretch of the Fox River, between Davenport and Peoria, should prepare for meaningful flooding impacts this week, even though this river’s forecast severity sits a notch below the Major flood stageexpected on the English and Wapsipinicon.
Cedar Rapids Sits at the Center of This Week’s Flooding Concerns
If you’re in Cedar Rapids itself, you’re positioned right in the middle of this week’s most significant river flooding activity, with both the English River to the southwest and the Wapsipinicon River to the northeast both forecast to reach Major flood stage nearby. Residents throughout the greater Cedar Rapids area should stay especially alert to updated river gauge forecasts as this week progresses, since you’re geographically positioned between the two rivers carrying the highest flood severity on this outlook.
Davenport and the Quad Cities Should Watch the Fox River Closely
Farther southeast, Davenport and the surrounding Quad Cities area sit near both the Mississippi River itself and the nearby Fox River, which is forecast to reach Moderate flood stage this week. If you’re in Davenportor nearby Rock Island, keep an eye on both the Fox River forecast and broader Mississippi River levels, since the same widespread rainfall driving this week’s flooding has affected the entire regional watershed.
Dubuque and Waterloo Should Monitor the Turkey River Through Midweek
Residents in Dubuque and Waterloo should keep a close watch on the Turkey River as it approaches Moderate flood stage through the Monday-to-Wednesday window. While this river’s forecast severity is one tier below the Major flooding expected on the Englishand Wapsipinicon, moderate flooding can still mean significant impacts to low-lying roads, farmland and property near the riverbanks in this part of northeastern Iowa.
Why 5 to 10 Inches of Rain Over a Single Week Overwhelms River Systems
The scale of this week’s flooding threat traces directly back to the sheer volume of rain that’s fallen across Iowa and Illinois in just the past week, widespread totals of 5 to 10 inches. That much rainfall in such a short window doesn’t just soak into the ground; a large share of it runs off into streams and tributaries that feed directly into rivers like the English, Wapsipinicon, Turkey and Fox, causing water levels to climb well beyond their normal banks as all that runoff funnels downstream over the following days.
What Residents Near These Four Rivers Should Do This Week
If you live near the English, Wapsipinicon, Turkey or Fox Rivers, this is the week to take river flooding seriously, particularly given that two of these waterways are forecast to reach the most severe Major flood stage category. Avoid driving through any flooded roadway near these rivers, move valuables and vehicles away from low-lying areas close to the water, and keep a close eye on updated river gauge readings as levels are expected to crest sometime between Monday and Wednesdaythis week.
