Water from snow-melt in the upper Midwest moved south through the Mississippi River basin causing major flooding along the Mississippi River.
The snowfall was well above normal for the 2010-11 winter in much of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Minneapolis, MN recorded 86.6 inches of snow, which is 30 inches above normal. Snowfall in eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri totaled 35 to 65 inches, which was 10 to 20 inches above normal.
The snow-melt flood crest reached Dubuque on April 19 and was finally south of the Burlington area by April 25. The crest levels ranked 4th through 8th depending on the location, when compared to historical crests.
Dubuque lock and dam 11 surpassed its 20.5 foot major flood stage level around 625 am CDT 4/17.
It crested around 21.24 feet around 800 pm CDT 4/19.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 400 pm CDT 4/21.
Dubuque surpassed its 21.5 foot major flood stage level around 830 am CDT 4/13.
It crested around 22.82 feet around 815 pm CDT 4/19.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 546 pm CDT 4/22.
Bellevue surpassed its 20.0 foot major flood stage level around 640 am CDT 4/18.
It crested around 20.58 feet around 1000 am CDT 4/20.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 910 am CDT 4/22.
Fulton surpassed its 20.0 foot major flood stage level around 540 pm CDT 4/18.
It crested around 21.06 feet around 600 am CDT 4/21.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 300 pm CDT 4/24.
Camanche surpassed its 20.5 foot major flood stage level around 815 am CDT 4/18.
It crested around 21.93 feet around 1000 am CDT 4/21.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 730 pm CDT 4/25.
Le Claire surpassed its 13.5 foot major flood stage level around 441 am CDT 4/18.
It crested around 14.97 feet around 400 am CDT 4/22.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 834 pm CDT 4/26.
Rock Island surpassed its 18.0 foot major flood stage level around 320 pm CDT 4/16.
It crested around 20.71 feet around 1000 pm CDT 4/22.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 431 pm CDT 4/29.
Illinois City surpassed its 18.0 foot major flood stage level around 847 pm CDT 4/17.
It crested around 20.74 feet around 400 am CDT 4/23.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 1113 am CDT 4/30.
Muscatine surpassed its 20.0 foot major flood stage level around 845 pm CDT 4/18.
It crested around 21.87 feet around 100 pm CDT 4/23.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 1100 pm CDT 4/28.
New Boston surpassed its 18.5 foot major flood stage level around 224 am CDT 4/18.
It crested around 20.96 feet around 200 pm CDT 4/24.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 131 am CDT 5/02.
Keithsburg surpassed its 17.0 foot major flood stage level around 700 pm CDT 4/18.
It crested around 19.19 feet around 700 pm CDT 4/24.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 145 pm CDT 5/02.
Gladstone surpassed its 14.0 foot major flood stage level around 920 am CDT 4/19.
It crested around 16.06 1000 pm CDT 4/24.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 100 pm CDT 5/02.
Burlington surpassed its 18.0 foot major flood stage level around 1230 pm CDT 4/18.
It crested around 20.24 1145 pm CDT 4/24.
It fell below the major flood stage level around 900 am CDT 5/04.

Flood in DES MOINES, IOWA
From 19-APR-11 00:00:00 to 30-APR-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: SPRING GROVE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

Flood in SCOTT, IOWA
From 16-APR-11 14:00:00 to 30-APR-11 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BUFFALO
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

Flood in MUSCATINE, IOWA
From 17-APR-11 06:00:00 to 30-APR-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: MUSCATINE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

Flood in LOUISA, IOWA
From 18-APR-11 00:00:00 to 30-APR-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRANDVIEW
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

Flood in JACKSON, IOWA
From 18-APR-11 05:00:00 to 23-APR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ST DONATUS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

Flood in CLINTON, IOWA
From 18-APR-11 07:00:00 to 25-APR-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: HAUNTOWN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage