Ames Flooding

I lived in Ames for six years before moving to Eastern Iowa, and it's been surreal today reading/watching flooding updates from my old home base.

Just looking at a map of red-marked road closures, including northbound I-35 and both sides of U.S. 30, if I still lived there, I'd be struggling mightily to just get home. The city is virtually an island.

The Ames Tribune reported just a few minutes ago that a water-main break under flooded Squaw Creek has drained the city's water tower and forced the water plant to shut down. A boil order has been issued.

Workers from the big, newish Wal-Mart Supercenter along Duff Ave. actually had to be rescued this morning from floodwaters. And Hilton Colliseum is sitting in several feet of water.

It's a big, big mess, which we can understand, obviously, around these parts. And to all my friends and neighbors back there, take care and good luck.