Heavy equipment begins clearing a huge logjam at the downtown Des Moines river confluence

A contractor on Friday began removing a huge logjam that had piled up on a sandbar in the Raccoon River just before it empties into the Des Moines River in downtown Des Moines.

Clearing debris from the sandbar is an annual maintenance task, but the logjam is bigger than usual this year, Public Works Director Jonathan Gano said in a news release from the city.

“During heavy rainfall in May, the river delivered all the trees and logs that three years of drought had been holding back, creating quite a pile,” he said.

The work began at the SW First Street Trail Bridge. Meredith Trail is closed from that bridge to the Fifth Street Bridge until the removal is completed, the release said. Pedestrians and bicyclists are advised to avoid the area because of the heavy equipment that's in use. The equipment is too heavy to be on the bridge, so the Meredith Trail is being used as a staging area, according to a city-provided video.

The Public Works Department decided to hire a contractor that has specialized equipment to access the terrain, the release said. Work couldn't begin until river levels were low enough to do the work safely.

Residents can find updates on the city’s website and the Public Works Facebook page . Information about detours and road closures across the city can be found at DSM.city/Closures .

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Heavy equipment begins clearing a huge logjam at the downtown Des Moines river confluence