High waters
Northwestern Iowa officials predicted high numbers for flooding in late June, but the record levels that their rivers reached around June 22 2024, surpassed even their wildest dreams.
Torrential rains led to floods tall enough to cover rooftops, wide enough to shut down major roads and highways and powerful enough to take down a train bridge.
The Rock River rose to up to 27 feet, the Little Sioux River grew to over 33 feet and the Big Sioux crested at 45 feet -- all three of which broke records set years ago.
The high waters left thousands of homes with major structural damage, left many towns without power or running water and left hundreds of residents homeless.
After the water began to recede days later, homeowners all across northwestern Iowa attempted to save what they could. For some, the water had gotten low enough for them to daringly wade back into their houses and retrieve whatever belongings they can. For others the water was still too high, or structural damage made the house unsafe to enter.
It took days or even weeks for an expedited Presidential Disaster Declaration to reach the many counties affected by the floods, leaving many Iowans without the FEMA assistance many said they needed, and without closure on what they could do next.
