Topic starter
20/04/2013 2:01 am
What better to do on an April day when the wind chill is 25 than to take pix of the flooding, which wasn't even on the horizon a week ago. But thanks to many days of rain, some with record amounts, the Mississippi has gone over its banks, rather rapidly comparatively. These pictures were taken about 2.5 feet over flood stage (17.5/15), and the crest is supposed to be about 19.7 on Sunday. River Drive the entire length of Davenport was closed off today although the water hadn't reached it yet downtown, but I suspect by tomorrow it will be under. Of course we have the flood wall in Rock Island, so it is just down by Sunset Park where the levee goes behind the park, that we have any water. I didn't see any tows today, but they were still moving yesterday.
1) the bandshell in LeClaire Park Davenport, where the Bix Fest is held. Bix's bust is barely above water visible over the fence.
2) The ugly thing that replaced the PRESIDENT is unfortunately being held in place by the Marquette towboat. The city of Davenport is looking for a new casino operator to build a land-based place to replace this circus.
3) The little root beer stand which has all the flood levels marked on it. The record of 22.83 went up to within inches of the top.
20/04/2013 8:18 am
Judy,
The Corps Locks (that´s the Facebook name) said on FB that locks 16 til 22 have been closed down.
Saw photos posted by the Spirit of Peoria.
Carmen
Topic starter
21/04/2013 1:41 pm
The required ball park photo
Here is this flood's aerial shot of the Davenport minor league ballpark surrounded by floodwaters. It used to flood along with its surroundings, but they built an earthen dike around the outfield and now install temporary flood walls around the rest. There was actually a game played there yesterday.
Crests on Rock and Mississippi rivers expected today
The river stage is 19.2 this morning, with a predicted crest of 19.6 later today. Flood stage is 15, record level is 22.6. We were saved by no rain the last two days, or we could have approached the record.
That is the Centennial Bridge in the background. L&D 15 is out of the picture, to the left.
Topic starter
21/04/2013 10:12 pm
Sunday afternoon near the crest
The river stage is 19.1 here, with the revised crest prediction for 19.2, so this is about the extent of the flooding here. We are the first area listed as having a major flood, and as you can see, it isn't horrible here, at least downtown. Of course there are many homes along the river below Davenport which are surrounded. Apparently the Quincy area is getting hit the hardest above St. Louis.
1) the Skywalk from which I took these pictures.
2) looking upriver, all the rollers in the dam are raised. The Government (Arsenal) Bridge is behind the dam.
3) River Drive is really river today.
Topic starter
21/04/2013 10:23 pm
the crest continued
1) the ballpark is in the distance, and they are playing a game there this afternoon. Closer is the LeClaire Park bandshell, site of the Bix Jazz Fest
2) the root beer stand and LeClaire Park restroom building
3) Hey, the carni came to town! This monstrosity is what replaced the PRESIDENT as the local casino. The blue roof is the canopied area where the gamblers arrive. Can you find the boat? (Hint: it doesn't have smokestacks and the pilothouse is more hidden than the MQ's)
22/04/2013 12:44 am
Flood Flashback
With the flooding on the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois Rivers much in the news, I dug out these "Forty Years Ago Flood Flashback" photos, taken in the spring of 1973 along the St. Louis riverfront. Many of the riverboats in the pictures (ADMIRAL, BECKY THATCHER, MISSISSIPPI BELLE, LT. ROBERT E. LEE and the Minesweeper INAUGURAL) have since succumbed to fire, sinking or the scrapper's torch. The excursion boat HUCK FINN was sold to Louisville in 1995 and today is the SPIRIT of JEFFERSON. The GOLDENROD SHOWBOAT, a fixture on the St. Louis levee from 1937 until 1990, has been tied up for some years on the Illinois River near Kampsville awaiting restoration and a new lease on life.
Thanks to my friend Dan Owen for these vintage images.
24/04/2013 10:24 pm
Ingenuity on the River
Just came across a unique photo, taken during the BIG flood of 1973, at the St. Louis riverfront. The high water covering Wharf Street (now L.K. Sullivan Blvd.) put the riverboats out of business for an extended period. Goldenrod Showboat/Str. Becky Thatcher owner Frank C. Pierson came up with a plan to stay in business. He placed a series of small floats from the steps of the Gateway Arch to the gangplank of the Goldenrod so patrons could come aboard to enjoy the melodramas, ragtime music and the two barrooms. The Becky was moored alongside the showboat and one of her stacks shows in the image.
Hard to believe this was taken FOUR DECADES ago. It seems like yesterday! And now the ol' Mississip' is on another ramage!
25/04/2013 1:48 am
well, some of the cause is the snow & rainfall we had up here on the Upper Rock basin, some areas here are underwater, thankfully not like June 2008 though!