Fort Dodge dodges the flood wave on the Des Moines River

FORT DODGE, Iowa (WHO) — This week leaders in Webster County have been asking for volunteers to fill sandbags to place along the Des Moines River. Now, the river has crested and the water has mainly stayed away from buildings in town.

“Right now we’ve seen a crest just mid-day here right over 17 feet,” said Dylan Hagen, the Webster County Emergency Management Director. “We’re starting to see that slowly drop as we go throughout the day. We do have a chance of rain this afternoon and end of tomorrow so we’re expecting that the levels kind of stay where they’re at for maybe a couple days and then it will slowly start dropping.”

This is the first flood since the two dams on the Des Moines River were removed.

“A few years ago they took out both dams here, the hydroelectric dam and then the little dam down below the hospital bridge,” said Hagen. “This is, it’s new for everybody here to see what it’s done and how it’s changed how the river flows and how the flooding happens.”

Neighbors along the river near the hospital said they were not concerned about flooding. Water was creeping into the neighborhood. Sandbags were up on homes there and in the Riverside dam area. At last check no homes flooded there.

Also in Humboldt County the river has crested, with minimal impact.

“We have crested and water is starting to go down,” said Kyle Bissell, the Humboldt County Emergency Manager. “No systematic flooding for businesses, the homes along the river have been impacted but it appears no catastrophic damage.”

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