Rain, snowmelt threatening to swell area rivers

Eastern Iowa's rivers are beginning to show the effect of the early spring's gradual warm-up, with runoff and continued rains expected to drive some beyond their banks by the weekend.

The only current flood warning is for the Wapsipinicon River at Dewitt, which is expected to rise above flood stage early Tuesday. The warning issued Monday morning by the National Weather Service remains in effect until further notice.

The weather service predicted the Wapsi would rise to about a foot above flood stage by the weekend, affecting homes and businesses near the river near Wheatland and Calamus.

The weather service's river forecasts are based on rainfall expected over the next 24 hours, and KCRG-TV meteorologist Justin Gehrts noted that with rain expected to settle over the region for the week, at least some rivers will likely exceed Monday's predictions.

With steady rain setting in Tuesday, Cedar Rapids stands to see about an inch of rain by the weekend. The Cedar River is expected to rise about six feet above Monday afternoon's 4.8-foot reading, affecting sections of Otis Road SE but still two feet below flood stage.

The Iowa River is forecast to rise above flood stage this afternoon at Marengo, but flooding should be restricted to low-lying farm fields. No Iowa River flooding is expected in Iowa City, where a weekend crest three feet below flood stage is forecast.

Over the longer term, the weather service predicts a greater than normal risk of flooding in Eastern Iowa.

The latest flood outlook issued Friday puts the risk at slightly less than predicted last month due to a gradual warming, but the combination of soil moisture and heavy snowpack mean the flood risk “will be highly dependent on future precipitation.”