Cedar Rapids Flood Waters
In 2008, the City of Cedar Rapids faced a flood proving to be one of the worst natural disasters ever to happen in the Country. A massive flood that not only went passed 100 year markers, but surpassed 500 year levels. The waters consumed all of downtown and a significant portion of the west side of the community.
Flood waters went over 10 feet higher than ever known before, even leading up to the event, the predictions were for a peak at 8 feet less than what actually occurred. For some reason, river gauges failed to predict the severity and the opportunity to secure properties and valuables was lost.
Since that time many businesses have returned, others failed. Homes were lost, yet some rebuilt knowing that at any time the event could happen again because the city still is without flood protection with the exception of the Quaker Oats Plant, which put in their own protection wall.
Providing there is no flood before the East side of the river is protected, the downtown returns better than ever. While it was improving before the flood, everything had to be gutted and replaced with new. Old parking structures were removed and new structures are on the way.
The city is in the process of replacing the convention center and renovating the hotel and arena. The property was an eyesore from the day it was built. The new facility will bring a new look to downtown, as this is an attractive and useable facility, now the city will have to take care of it much better than they did the previous facility.
The Paramount Theater is finally under renovation, the Cedar Rapids Community Theatre is better than ever with expanded space making it a beautiful, usable facility. New buildings are coming up to meet residential and business needs.
We’ve come a long way; we have much more to go. Watch for more stories on the flood and how the City of Cedar Rapids is changing.
So the east side is getting a flood wall. But it’s my understanding we need to pay for our own west side flood wall. Will somebody please propose a bond or something that allows that to happen. And let’s not include any other fluff that may cause people to vote it down. Protecting half the city makes zero sense. An east side flood wall only will cause that much more damage to the west side. Without west side protection, we’ll lose half the city, half the homes, half the businesses, half the tax base… it simply cannot be allowed to happen. And people have to know that another 500 year flood, won’t take another 500 years. We have to get on this.