Two major rainfall events during the last 10 days of May 2004 resulted in major to near record flooding across parts of East Central and Northeast Iowa that continued into June 2004.  Following is an edited write up from the Service Hydrologist:The first event occurred from the 21st through the 24th, with the hardest hit areas mainly along and north of Interstate 80.  Reported rainfall was as high as 4 inches (Cedar Rapids) during this period, while some locations received 5 to 6 inches.   The high amounts of water from smaller creeks and streams led to rapid rises on the area's larger rivers and streams, then major to near record flooding.  Most of the hardest hit counties, flood-wise, were along the U.S. Highway 20 corridor in Iowa.  In Manchester, Iowa, the Maquoketa River reached its second highest level ever, second only to a crest in the 1950s.  Flooding closed the major east-west road through the city.  That road is also a state highway.  The high water also forced evacuations of some businesses.  Some homes were affected, too.Independence, Iowa also encountered major flooding on the Wapsipinicon River.  Its crest was the sixth highest on record.  Many homes were affected, and the high water forced the evacuation of some businesses in town just like in Manchester.  In Independence, some normally small creeks became major waterways during and after the heavy rain, which flooded some houses and businesses that were some distance from those houses that were affected by high water on the Wapsipinicon River.  High water forced the closing of Iowa Highway 150 on the south side of town, where the road crosses the river.  With this major road shut down, access to the city was inconvenient from the south.  It required one to either travel several miles east on U.S. Highway 20, then back the same several miles to Independence, or to travel west a little and then take a road into the west side of Independence.Jones County, Iowa, also experienced problems from high water on the Wapsipinicon River.  The river in Anamosa crested at the second highest level on record.  The flood fight in Anamosa was successful in keeping most of the city safe from flooding.The second major rain event of the month occurred from the 29th through the 31st.  Reported rainfall was as much as two and a half inches of rain with other locations reporting as much as 3 to 4 inches.  This additional rain led to additional rises and crests on some rivers, with most of the crests occurring in June.  The second crests were in some cases the same as or higher than the first crests.  Lower sections of the Wapsipinicon River, for example, in Clinton and Scott counties, experienced high second crests.  Large amounts of water coming downstream from the first heavy rain event combined with runoff from the second rain event to produce the second highest crest on record on the Wapsipinicon River near De Witt, Iowa.  The high water forced the closing of Old U.S. Highway 61 south of De Witt, Iowa, along with the closing of a business along the river by the highway.  The present U.S. Highway 61-a vital link between northern Scott County, Iowa, and Clinton County, Iowa-was unaffected.The Rock, Pecatonica, and La Moine rivers in Illinois also experienced flooding due to the heavy rains.  Minor flooding occurred on the Rock River while moderate flooding occurred on the Pecatonica River.  The La Moine River experienced minor flooding.The large amounts of water from the tributary rivers in Iowa and Illinois led to rises on the Mississippi River.  Although the entire river rose in response to the large amounts of water, the river rose above flood stage from Lock and Dam15 in the Quad Cities to Gregory Landing, Missouri.  Most of the rest of the crests occurred in June.  The Mississippi River in the Quad Cities did crest during May, however, and it crested just over flood stage.  Only minor flooding resulted.

Flood in MCDONOUGH, ILLINOIS
From 25-MAY-04 08:42:00 to 26-MAY-04 02:38:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Flood in STEPHENSON, ILLINOIS
From 26-MAY-04 20:00:00 to 31-MAY-04 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Flood in ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
From 24-MAY-04 10:50:00 to 31-MAY-04 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Flood in HENRY, ILLINOIS
From 24-MAY-04 10:50:00 to 31-MAY-04 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Flood in HENDERSON, ILLINOIS
From 26-MAY-04 06:08:00 to 31-MAY-04 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Flood in MERCER, ILLINOIS
From 25-MAY-04 14:22:00 to 31-MAY-04 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Flood in HANCOCK, ILLINOIS
From 27-MAY-04 04:45:00 to 31-MAY-04 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY