On her recent trip back to Iowa to see her family for the holidays, Tracy decided to investigate the effects of the flood of 2008.  Here is here story from Huffington Post:

On the last night of my holiday trip to my hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I asked my parents to take the long way to our dinner. I wanted to see first-hand those parts of the city still devastated by the historic flood of June 2008. In Washington, DC, where I now live, talk about Iowa revolves around the churning machinery for the GOP presidential nomination and the Iowa caucuses that kick off that national process. A list of 50 influential Iowa Republicans recently generated a fair amount of chatter; a Sarah Palin book tour stop on the Western side of the state generated another round of “will she run?” prognosticating; road-weary reporters and campaign operatives dissect new restaurants in the Des Moines area. That is the Iowa of the national political conversation. But it is not the Iowa I saw.

Our car ride was extra dark, because many residential streets no longer have street lights. Along low-lying Ellis Boulevard, parallel to the Cedar River, a string of homes had single blue porch lights illuminated on the front porches, that neighborhood’s unofficial way to signify a dwelling is occupied and to celebrate recovery efforts. In the same area, thousands of homes have been demolished, making for an eerie hopscotch pattern of blue lights. Looters have ransacked many of the abandoned homes, removing copper pipe and other salable materials. Some abandoned properties sat empty and dark. Others assaulted the senses: windows blown out, exteriors blackened by rot, debris strewn across lawns. The scene screamed “New Orleans,” but without the accompanying charitable service projects and celebrity commitments.

We passed an abandoned A&W hot dog stand, more empty homes and vacant lots, and Ellis Park, where a City Garden has yet to be fully restored. We wove through the Czech Village – a once-proud cultural landmark – and its surrounding streets. The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library is being lifted from its foundation and moved to higher ground, the saved artifacts temporarily transferred to a nearby storefront. The rest of the Czech Village activity that night was limited to two small neighborhood bars. As we turned onto yet another un-illuminated side street of wide, empty lots, I too-easily imagined a scene from “The Walking Dead” and mused that theIowa Film Office could capitalize on these locations as revenue generators for television and films: “Iowa welcomes productions seeking desolate, flood-ravaged areas to serve as zombie zones and meth-head havens.”

The most notable development downtown is a new federal courthouse: a two-block-wide, 300,000 square-foot structure under construction on the banks of the Cedar River; its $160 million budget part of a Congressional disaster-relief appropriation a few months after the flood. Within its shadow, more than 30 months post-flood, the main branch of the Cedar Rapids Public Libraryremains closed, its salvaged holdings housed in a mostly empty shopping mall. The Greyhound bus terminal remains dark. The City Hall remains unusable; the Mayor and other officials are scattered around in leased office space. Much of the grand, six-story, century-old Paramount Theatre — home to the symphony I grew up attending — was destroyed and irreplaceable. The art museum where I got married is a few blocks away, and untouched, but the restaurants our out-of-town guests visited that weekend are all gone. The city is banking on a controversial plan to build a Mayo Clinic-style medical mall downtown, despite any accompanying retail development for visitors.

Read Tracy Sefl’s full story on Huffington Post.

The Census Bureau is slated to release place-by-place population counts and other data for Iowa in February or March. One of the questions officials hope that data will answer is whether the Flood of 2008 reversed population growth in Cedar Rapids, as some suspect.

“When you see houses empty, it’s natural to assume that those people are gone,” said researcher Liesl Eathington with Iowa State University’s Regional Economics and Community Analysis Program, “but they might just have gone somewhere else in the (city). It will really be interesting to see if the local perceptions … will really be borne out in the numbers.”

She points to reviews of the Cedar Rapids area immediately after the flood and about a year afterward. She said they showed that the city’s underlying economy remained relatively strong compared with many other parts of the state.

“And because of that, there wouldn’t have been this bigger reason for a big out-migration due to the flooding,” she said.

The Census Bureau’s most recent estimate of Cedar Rapids’ population, published in July 2009, put the city’s population at 127,764, up only 0.4 percent from the year before. Iowa’s two other largest cities posted larger gains: Des Moines, up 1.5 percent, and Davenport, up 1.2 percent.

There’s no question that Cedar Rapids has increased population since the last decennial census in 2000, which put the city’s population at 120,758. How good is the 2009 estimate, though? Will the actual census count reveal the city’s population has dropped below the estimate?

Mayor Ron Corbett suspects Cedar Rapids withstood a mass exodus after the 2008 flood akin to that of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A significant percentage of Cedar Rapids flood victims, he said, were retirees, whom he describes as more settled and who he guesses decided to stay even if they lost their homes.

Corbett also points to the city’s Personal Possessions Replacement Program, which paid up to $10,000 to nearly 2,000 flooded homeowners this year. Some 90 percent of those checks have gone to people living in the Cedar Rapids metro area, he said.

“So I think most people relocated here,” Corbett said. “We probably had a drop right after the flood, but we’re showing signs of recovery.”

Stephanie Neff, assistant director of Linn County Public Health in Cedar Rapids, was among a group of local leaders on the Linn County Complete Count Committee. Their mission was to make sure that residents driven from their homes by the flood were found and counted.

Several key programs funded by federal and state dollars are tied to population, and Neff said it is always important to get residents counted. This time it was critical, she said, because of dislocations from the flood. Linn County, she said, wanted to make sure its population surpassed 200,000, up from 191,701 in 2000.

Jeff Davidson, director of Iowa City’s Department of Planning and Community Development, said population numbers for cities matter greatly in terms of funding for streets, housing and neighborhoods, but he adds that the numbers matter, too, for a city’s sense of itself.

Davidson notes that the 2009 census estimates showed only a handful of Iowa’s 99 counties grew in population in the previous year, and those counties, he said, were located in the Des Moines metro area and the Corridor between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

Read the full version of the story on The Gazette’s website.  The article paints a compelling picture about what information from the upcoming Census data might reveal about Iowa’s population.

There is uncertainty about the population count of Cedar Rapids since the floods of 2008.  Was the city’s growth in population reversed by the Flood of 2008 as suggested in Cedar Rapids, which lost an estimated 1,300 homes to the flood?

As with many people facing flood waters in 2008 in Iowa, they felt it would never top the flooding of 1993.  We’ve heard this a lot from those who have had devastating waters destroy their homes, businesses and beloved items.  William Yates was a longtime resident of Palo, a small town northeast of Cedar Rapids.  He had experienced the floods of 1993 and was ready to face them once again.  His daughter Abbey, her twin sister and older sister had grown up in that ranch home that sat on three lots.  With a creek to the left and right and a river running nearby, they were about to face unbelievable amounts of water.

Before they decided to evacuate, they had moved everything up off the floor and to higher ground within the house, expecting the floodwaters to only infiltrate the basement.  Once the water surrounded the house, William Yates told his children that it was time to leave.  The four inches of water that came into the basement in 1993 had multiplied to four feet of water on the main level of that ranch.  When the river crested, Abbey and her twin sister took a boat to see what could be saved.  They parked their boat right underneath the awning of the home.  The women got into the water and went into the home to find only a handful of pictures on walls and some clothing placed up high.  They took what they could and left.

Abbey’s childhood home was completely destroyed.  Everything was lost in the flooding besides the few items that they took with them on the boat.  All of the items in the garage and shed were also destroyed.  Once the Yates’ were allowed to enter to home after the waters had receded, the mold had already set in.  The summer heat and humidity had increased the mold growth, leaving a terrible stench.

As Abbey Yates said “The smell was the worst thing I have ever had to deal with.”  Mud covered the house and you could see the water lines both inside and outside.  The basement windows had busted out and three feet of water still remained, along with fish and other animals that were living down there.  Everything that once had life to it was now brown, washed away and caked with mud.  “To know all you have is gone and there is nothing anyone can do to help is the worst feeling in the world.-” Abbey stated.

FEMA provided some assistance, but it wasn’t anywhere close to how much had been lost.  The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross were quick to offer their volunteer services and the Yates family is so grateful for their help.

With nothing left to do but start over, that is exactly what they did.  They decided to gut the house and put it on the market.  They sold the house, but decided to keep the two additional lots in the family and the sisters handle the upkeep of the land.  It was after all, where this family had grown up and been part of a wonderful community of people who cared for each other.  When all of this happened, William had been in his third year of battling cancer.

On March 31st, 2009, William Yates’ left this earth after a courageous fight.  He was a man well known in Palo for being someone to count on; a man who would go to great lengths to help his friends and neighbors.  The girls promised him before his passing that they would never reside in a flood zone.  He is greatly missed by his family and the community of Palo, where he had lived his entire life.

In a matter of days, torrential downpours caused Ames Iowa and other central Iowa towns to flood severely. This strikes near and dear to me, as I graduated from Iowa State in 2006. Parking lots that were soon to hold fellow Cyclones fans for tailgating now look like lakes. Major roads have been closed in parts and the water supply is no longer safe for consumption.

As of 8/11/10, Ames’ water supply had been shut down. This left approximately 50,000 people without water. At about 9:30 p.m. water was turned back on, but is only safe for bathing and flushing toilets. A boil order remains in place for Ames residents. Water isn’t expected to be safe to drink until next Tuesday at the earliest.

If you’re in need of water, you can stop by these Ames businesses to receive 2 gallons per person, per day:

1. Walmart on Grand Ave.
2. Quality Inn on 13th St.
3. Sam’s Club on Airport Rd.

(Read AmesTrib.com to learn more about where you can obtain free, safe drinking water).

Maple, Willow and Larch's south parking lot. Photo taken by Student Jeff Doran.

The ISU Campus is closed Thursday, August 12th and will reopen at a later date (TBA) for now, take caution. Flood waters are often deeper than you expect. These waters can also harbor disease and injury. Dark, muddy waters can hide sharp objects and tetanus becomes a risk. Also, this is not just rain water you see, it is also mixed with sewage and can be very hazardous to your health.

If you’re exposed to flood water, you run the risk of catching dangerous ailments like Cryptosporidium, E coli and Hepatitis A.

So all of you at Iowa State and the surrounding Ames areas, we at SaveIowa.org hope that you and your loved ones are safe during this disaster. If you have pictures or a story about the Ames flooding you’d like to share, please contact me at CariCooney27@gmail.com.

The first picture is of Hilton Coleseium, taken by Dr. Gloria Betcher, Professor of English at ISU.

Several buildings on the Iowa State University campus, such as Hilton Coliseum where the Cyclones play basketball, are besieged by water. It was reported via Twitter that there is currently five feet of water inside the building, causing the floor of the basketball court to float.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation,” said Ames Fire Chief Clint Petersen.

The Iowa Department of Transportation closed Interstate 35 just south of Ames, and as well as both lanes of U.S. 30 are also closed from I-35 to U.S. 69.

Adding to the chaos, city officials are now worried about a mysterious leak draining one of the city’s water towers. Ames Mayor Ann Campbell said this afternoon that the water tower at State Street and Mortensen Road is “reducing rapidly” due to a broken water main pipe.

ISU football players were stacking sandbags around the football stadium Wednesday in an effort to help save buildings. The University of Iowa has offered to help ISU and the city of Ames with flooding issues on campus.

The above pictures are compliments of The Troendles photostream on Flickr.

Elizabeth and her husband were going through a separation at the time of the flooding in 2008. Though she was living in a separate apartment, many of her items were being stored at their home together on 10th Street. Elizabeth was still frequently at the home, helping her husband remodel the kitchen and attic. They had just finished remodeling the bathroom.

When the word of possible flooding reached Elizabeth, she was nervous. Being told that it would be no worse than the flooding of 1993; she still felt it was necessary to move appliances and other items up to higher ground. Soon after, she noticed police driving up and down her street in gators, recommending evacuation. With out of town commitments pending, she called her husband, who happened to work for the city. He assured her everything would be taken care of and that she should keep on with her plans. The recommended evacuation was merely for “liability purposes.” She headed to St. Louis as planned, only to get the call that her neighborhood’s evacuation recommendation had been moved to “mandatory.”

A frantic Elizabeth called her husband, who was at work and beyond exhausted. She begged for him to find the time to save their cats and dogs. He was able to retrieve them, but assumed the birds would be safe and he left them behind. When the levee broke, he feared for the birds’ safety. There was no way he could walk into his house and get them. The National Guard wasn’t going to let him access his home. Not to mention there was four feet of water sitting on the main level. He decided to borrow a canoe from a friend. Quietly, he slipped past the National Guard and got into his house. The birds were rescued.
After the water was gone, Elizabeth described it as “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Mud was everywhere in the house and the smell of mold was awful. Friends came to help clean and salvage what they could of the home. The pets were boarded free of charge thanks to Elizabeth’s friend, Robin from Anamosa, Iowa. Clothing that was able to be saved were aggressively washed and washed again.

Treasured items were lost in the flooding. Among those items were cards, yearbooks and even Elizabeth’s beloved piano from when she was a child…all destroyed by the flooding. She had lost precious keepsakes from her grandmother, who had passed away. They also lost two vehicles. Her now ex-husband filed for assistance through FEMA, but she never saw any of the money to help her replace what she lost. She’s moved on, but she says she’ll never forget the shared loss she feels with the Cedar Rapids community.

As for the house, it still remains vacant two years later. The walls are knocked out. The once remodeled bathroom is back to framework. In an instant, a lifetime of memories were washed away.

The city was hit exceptionally hard by flooding in 2008. Reports indicate close to 400 homes were damaged by high water, causing almost $10 million dollars in total damage to city property.

Close to 95 percent of the community went underwater during the flood disaster.

On Wednesday, the city broke ground on the $4.5 million facility. The 14,000-square-foot facility is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Iowa Homeland Security.

In February the city received more than $6 million in federal flood recovery dollars to upgrade its water supply, something that was needed before construction on the new City Hall could begin.

Palo’s new city hall and community center are set to open in August of 2011.

If you or your family were affected by the devastating 2008 storms in Iowa, you may be experiencing ongoing physical, emotional and financial stress. Ticket to Hope can help. It’s a free program and will help you regain a sense control over your life.

Ticket to Hope provides up to eight counseling sessions from a licensed mental health professional in your area. The program is managed through the Iowa Department of Human Services. You and your family are eligible to receive free counseling through Ticket to Hope if you meet the criteria below.

Unfortunately, the program is slated to expire at the end of June. Hopefully the Iowa DHS decides to continue the program.

People can call the Ticket to Hope hotline at 1-800-447-1985 for more information.

Czech and Slovak Museum &amp Library Grand Re-Opening: Now located at 87 16th Avenue SW, in the heart of the Czech Village, the new museum also captures the experience so many along the west bank of the Cedar River felt during those days in June of 2008. The flood damage forced the museum to a temporary display at Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids before the move back to the Czech Village.

Federal Funds for Czech Museum Not Wasteful, Loebsack Tells Glenn Beck: Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack is firing back at Glenn Beck after the conservative commentator, in a recent column, referred to federal funds allocated to the National Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids as “unbelievable waste.”

Flood director makes plea for social equality in awarding flood protection systems: Cedar Rapids flood recovery director Greg Eyerly made an impassioned plea Thursday for social equality in the awarding of federal flood protection systems. Speaking at the first meeting of the Regional Flood Risk Management Team, which includes federal and state officials from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri, Eyerly said if the Cedar River flood of 2008 had “happened in Malibu, they would already have a flood-protection system in place.”

Iowa City nets $25M for flood projects: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke was in Iowa City on Friday to announce $25 million in Economic Development Administration grants to design an elevated Dubuque Street and Park Road Bridge and relocate the North Wastewater Treatment Facility out of the floodplain.

Group honored for flood cleanup work: The Iowa River Cleanup Partnership of Johnson County recently received the IOWATER Watershed Group of the Year award from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

U.S. Commerce Secretary hands out flood recovery money: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke traveled to Iowa City today to award four Iowa communities with a share of $30 million in grants for flood recovery. Most of the grant money – $25 million – will go to Iowa City to help relocate a wastewater treatment facility damaged by the flood of 2008.

Volunteers needed for cleanup of upper Mississippi River: Living Lands & Waters is seeking approximately 800 to 1,000 volunteers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri to take part in a first-ever, multistate cleanup of the upper Mississippi River. The event will take place Saturday, June 19, with a goal of involving volunteers in 22 cities from Saint Paul, Minn., to St. Louis. LL&W also needs site coordinators for each location, boats and drivers and supplies.

Stop playing politics with people facing real hardship: “It is as if a tornado hit their home or a flood wiped out their community,” says Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. “It is an emergency, and we respond to emergencies with emergency spending.”

There are so many stories from flood victims that find their way to my inbox. While all of them are interesting, heart-breaking and sometimes, pleasantly enlightening, the story of Timothy “TJ” Jensen was truly incredible. Told to me by his dear friend Rebecca Hall, his story of loss, courage and perseverance could serve as an inspiration to all who reads his tale.

Timothy’s home on 18th Ave SW in the Czech Village of Cedar Rapids was a complete loss in the flooding of 2008. The value of his home dropped to nothing more than $5000.00 worth of land in the matter of weeks. Just months before that, everything was going well. He welcomed his first child into the world in March of the same year, a beautiful daughter named Makiah. As he was enjoying spending time with his newborn daughter, he never imagined that he would be forced to evacuate his home in just a few, short months.

As if there were not enough on his plate, he was also struggling with seizures brought on by Epilepsy from an early childhood accident. In the fall of 2003, Timothy was run off I-380 by a semi. The seizures increased in frequency and he was referred to the University of Iowa for further testing. Months went on. The testing continued to try and locate where in the brain the seizures were coming from. He went through surgery to attach electrodes to his brain to monitor the seizure activity.

The University was also conducting a study at the same time to help those with hearing impairments. The electrode data would be used to help the physicians at the University of Iowa with TJ’s seizures, but also with learning about various sounds and the brain’s response. With successful monitoring, they were able to pinpoint where his seizures were developing.

A second surgery would take place to attempt to halt the activity. Friend Rebecca Hall remembers talking to TJ. She told him she was afraid the surgery wouldn’t work and feared for his health. TJ’s response was “if it doesn’t stop my seizures, then that’s okay. It’s okay because if nothing else, I was able to be part of something that could help someone who is deaf hear someday.”

TJ’s surgery was a success. He was able to get his driver’s license back and received a promotion at this job. He was also able to purchase his home…the same home that was so quickly destroyed in the floods. In the following year after the flood, local station KGAN did a “30 Days of Thanksgiving” giveaway with Royal Neighbors of American. $74,000.00 was given to flood victims, one heart-wrenching story at a time. Rebecca wrote TJ’s tale for his nomination.

Her recommendation led to TJ winning $1000.00 towards getting his life re-established. She and his father worked out a deal where they told TJ that a contractor was going to be stopping by the flood house. He was quite surprised when it was a news crew, complete with balloons and a big check! They interviewed him right there…in the house he had loved so much. It was nothing more than sub-flooring and studs.

As of now, Timothy is staying with his family. He has recently received information that he is qualified for a buyout. He’s patiently playing the waiting game, but TJ has persevered over many challenges in the past few years, and anyone who knows Timothy Jensen personally wouldn’t expect anything different.