No words can describe what occurred across the state of Iowa a year ago. Rivers were cresting or within a week of cresting (some at record levels) across the state. At Cedar Rapids, the Cedar River crested 11 feet above the previous record (31.2 feet) on June 13th. The river flowed into neighborhoods that thought the river would never get to. The river water was 8 feet deep in some parts of downtown, the river went blocks to either side of the actual river bed. Damage was extensive, with house after house, block after block being destroyed the water. The bridges in Cedar Rapids were high enough to let the water pass through and had to be closed. Soon enough the river went over the bridges and kept on rising. Only the Interstate 380 bridge was the only way people could get from one side of town to the other. Even then it was very difficult to get through. It has been a slow process getting the city back up and running. House have been or are being torn down, people are moving on with their lives although at a very slow pace.

Tomorrow Part 2