WITH RECOVERY. WELL, COUNCIL BLUFFS AND POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY ARE CERTAINLY FEELING THE EFFECTS OF THE FLOODING RIGHT NOW, BUT IT’S NOT NECESSARILY THE RIVER OFFICIALS ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADDIE AUGUSTINE REPORTS ON THE BIGGEST THREATS THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT. DROP BY DROP. RAIN FALLS, FLOODING, NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AND COUNCIL BLUFFS. WHAT WE’RE NOT SURE ABOUT IS THE RAIN THAT’S GOING TO BE COMING, AND WATER QUICKLY SUBMERGED. PARTS OF THE RIVERBANK AS THE MISSOURI RIVER CONTINUES TO RISE, OFFICIALS PREDICT THE RIVER WILL CREST IN COUNCIL BLUFFS AROUND 1 P.M. THURSDAY, NOT QUITE AS WORRIED WITH THAT RIVER FLOODING SO MUCH RIGHT NOW, OUR LEVEES SHOULD BE PRETTY GOOD. BUT BECAUSE OF THE RISING LEVEL OF THE RIVER, COUNCIL BLUFFS FIRE CAPTAIN MIKE COBB SAYS THE SEWER FLOODGATES IN THE CITY ARE CLOSED, SETTING THE AREA UP FOR POSSIBLE ISSUES. IF WE GET A SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF LOW LEVEL FLOODING, RAINFALL, LIKE THE AREA SAW ON TUESDAY EVENING. COUNCIL BLUFFS SAW JUST OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN. THAT WATER’S GOT NOWHERE TO GO. LOW LEVEL FLOODING ALREADY TAKING OVER SOME STREETS IN THE WEST END OF THE CITY. AND GODBOUT SAYS IT ONLY TAKES 6 TO 12IN TO STALL OR SWEEP A VEHICLE AWAY. SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT URGES EVERYONE TO PLAN AHEAD AND KNOW OF ALTERNATE ROUTES. BUT IF YOU DO END UP STUCK TO STAY IN YOUR CAR, WE’LL COME TO YOU. WE’LL GET YOU, AND WE’LL WALK YOU OUT. FLOOD WATERS ALSO CAPABLE OF DISPLACING MANHOLE COVERS, CREATING A HIDDEN DANGER. SO WE DON’T WANT ANYBODY WALKING IN THE STREETS BECAUSE THOSE MANHOLE COVERS, YOU CAN GO RIGHT DOWN THROUGH THEM. AND WITH THE HIGHEST RIVER LEVELS STILL TO COME AND MORE RAIN IN THE FORECAST, THESE ARE SHORT ROPES, GODBOUT SAYS THE DEPARTMENT IS READY TO HELP IN AN EMERGENCY. WE HAVE BOATS, WE HAVE JOHN BOATS. WE HAVE TWO HOVERCRAFT WORKING NOW, SO WE’LL JUST PLAN FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR T
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'The water's got nowhere to go': Officials raise concerns of low-level flooding in Council Bluffs
Maddie Augustine
Multimedia Journalist
Drop by drop, rain fell over Council Bluffs, Tuesday. Immediately flooding neighborhood streets in the west end of the city.Water quickly submerged parts of the riverbank as the Missouri River continues to rise. Officials now predicting the river will crest in Council Bluffs around 1 p.m. Thursday, and because of the rising level of the river, Council Bluffs Fire Capt. Mike Godbout said the sewer floodgates in the city are closed. Setting the area up for possible issues. "I'm not quite as worried with that river flooding so much right now," Godbout said. "Our levee should be pretty good. What we're not sure about is the rain that's going to come in. If we get significant rainfall, we're going to have a lot of low-level flooding."With just over two inches of rain falling in the city on Tuesday, low-level flooding already took over some streets in the west end, and Godbout said it only takes 6-12 inches to stall or sweep a vehicle away. The fire department urges everyone to plan ahead and know of alternate routes, but if you do end up stuck, call for help, and the fire department will take it from there."Stay in your car," Godbout said. "We'll come to you. We'll get you, and we'll walk you out."Related coverage: City of Omaha's levee expected to clear Missouri River's forecasted crestFloodwaters are also capable of displacing manhole covers, which creates a hidden danger. "We don't want anybody walking in the streets because those manhole covers, you can go right down through them," Godbout said. With the highest river level still to come and more rain in the forecast, Godbout said the department is ready to help in an emergency."We have boats, we have John boats, we have our hovercraft, we have two hovercraft working now, so we'll just plan for the worst and hope for the best," Godbout said.READ MORE: Interstates 29, 680 to close Tuesday north of Council Bluffs due to rising water levels on Missouri RiverThe most important piece, Godbout said, is preparation. The Council Bluffs Fire Department advises everyone to plan ahead, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and remember to never drive or walk through floodwaters. Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —
Drop by drop, rain fell over Council Bluffs, Tuesday. Immediately flooding neighborhood streets in the west end of the city.
Water quickly submerged parts of the riverbank as the Missouri River continues to rise. Officials now predicting the river will crest in Council Bluffs around 1 p.m. Thursday, and because of the rising level of the river, Council Bluffs Fire Capt. Mike Godbout said the sewer floodgates in the city are closed. Setting the area up for possible issues.
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"I'm not quite as worried with that river flooding so much right now," Godbout said. "Our levee should be pretty good. What we're not sure about is the rain that's going to come in. If we get significant rainfall, we're going to have a lot of low-level flooding."
With just over two inches of rain falling in the city on Tuesday, low-level flooding already took over some streets in the west end, and Godbout said it only takes 6-12 inches to stall or sweep a vehicle away.
The fire department urges everyone to plan ahead and know of alternate routes, but if you do end up stuck, call for help, and the fire department will take it from there.
"Stay in your car," Godbout said. "We'll come to you. We'll get you, and we'll walk you out."
Related coverage: City of Omaha's levee expected to clear Missouri River's forecasted crest
Floodwaters are also capable of displacing manhole covers, which creates a hidden danger.
"We don't want anybody walking in the streets because those manhole covers, you can go right down through them," Godbout said.
With the highest river level still to come and more rain in the forecast, Godbout said the department is ready to help in an emergency.
"We have boats, we have John boats, we have our hovercraft, we have two hovercraft working now, so we'll just plan for the worst and hope for the best," Godbout said.
READ MORE: Interstates 29, 680 to close Tuesday north of Council Bluffs due to rising water levels on Missouri River
The most important piece, Godbout said, is preparation. The Council Bluffs Fire Department advises everyone to plan ahead, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and remember to never drive or walk through floodwaters.
Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
