The Devastating Natural Disaster That Changed Iowa Forever

From April to October, floodwaters devastated Iowa and its neighbor states. Throughout the Midwest, more than 30,000 square miles were flooded. When you take into consideration the duration, area, displaced persons, crop damage, and property damage, the Great Flood of 1993 was comparable to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.

In several towns, the water receded and returned more than five times before the disaster was finally over.

There was more than $15 billion in damages to crops, property, roadways, bridges, and transportation lines. At least 100,000 homes throughout the region were destroyed, and 15 million acres of farmland rinsed away. Though Iowa was surely hit hard, we did luck out in one way — we were able to keep our towns. Our neighbors were not so lucky, and the entire towns of Valmeyer, Illinois, and Rhineland, Missouri had to be removed and built along higher ground.

Here, you can see part of the Bentonsport Historic District under water. The beautiful Villages of Van Buren County were heavily damaged. Rest assured, they are rebuilt and restored, so you can still enjoy their historic splendor.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of the flood occurred right here. When water crested over the 712-foot emergency spillway, it washed away tons of sediment and uncovered the Devonian Fossil Gorge.

Despite the lessons learned from the 1993 flood, the Coralville Dam breached once again on June 12, 2008, topping the 1993 record by an extra 5 feet.

The flood was the worst disaster in Quad Cities history, and it's one the region will never forget.

High water markers, like this sign near the Mehaffey Bridge on the Iowa River, mark the record highs as rivers and streams reached unthinkable levels. Sadly, several local records were surpassed during the 2008 summer floods.