With recent rainfalls some area rivers have seen rising levels.
The Iowa River near Lone Tree rose 2.3 feet from Sunday to Monday. The river did remain well below the 15-foot flood stage, at only 8.7 feet. Also, the Iowa River at Oakville was at 9.3 feet while flood stage there is 10 feet. The North Skunk River near Sigourney rose over a foot from Sunday to Monday, but remained below flood stage at 7.5 feet. Another hazard Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen warns of is flooded roads, “Definitely don’t go into the water. If it’s standing water it only takes about two feet of water to float your car, and if there’s a current with that water as little as six inches can move your vehicle. And if you’re walking through it and it has a current it doesn’t take that much to knock you down and sweep you away.”
Sunday afternoon when a severe thunderstorm rolled across Washington a truck got stuck on a flooded street in downtown Washington. According to the Washington County Communications Office, at 2:35 p.m. a truck was stuck in water on North 2nd Avenue under the train underpass. Three people were out of the truck and standing in its bed when emergency crews arrived. The street department set up barricades and the fire department and Washington County Rescue assisted with getting the people to safety. No injuries were reported.
If a road is flooded, turn around, don’t drown.