Kalona

Heavy rains last week caused flooding throughout the area, impacting communities including Kalona, Riverside, Wellman, Lone Tree, Washington and surrounding areas.

Kalona and many of its residents experienced flooding, with most of it caused by rainwater. According to Kalona City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh, about 26 residents reported flooding in their homes.

Although most Kalona residents who experienced flooding dealt with rainwater, some reported sewage issues. One resident reported having about 18 inches of water in their basement.

During the flooding early last week, the city set up dumpsters at the Public Works shop at 711 A Ave. Schlabaugh said the city had about three 40-yard roll-off dumpsters, each of which had been emptied about four times.

The flooding started overnight on Saturday, Sept. 19, and continued into Sunday morning, Sept. 20. According to reports, Kalona received about 5 to nearly 6 inches of rain.

Following the heavy rain and flooding, the City of Kalona posted on Facebook encouraging residents to report flooding to Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management and submit a claim if they received more than 5 inches of water in their homes.

Several churches in the area also had to cancel services because of the storm. 

However, that did not stop churches such as Fairview Church in Kalona from helping the community. The church canceled its services, but instead of staying home, members went out to help others. About five church members had flooding in their basements, and the church came together to help them.

According to head pastor Conrad Hertzler, church members helped each of the affected members clean up their flooded basements, with the work taking about two to three hours. Hertzler explained that some of the flooding damaged carpet and possibly personal belongings.

Hertzler said one church member received about 11 inches of water in their basement, while some of the others experienced ankle-deep water.

Riverside flooding

After the weekend flooding, rain returned on Monday, causing even more flooding in surrounding areas, including Riverside.

By Tuesday morning, Hall Park and the area around the VFW were filled with water. Water surrounded both sides of the VFW, making it look as though there were two creeks running next to the building.

Hall Park was also covered with water, including portions of the baseball field and outfield. With Hall Park and the VFW located near the river, both areas experienced significant flooding as water levels rose.

According to reports, Riverside received about 3.5 inches of rain, and similar to Kalona, several residents experienced flooding in their homes.

Wellman flooding

Wellman was another community in the area that experienced flooding. During the most recent city council meeting, Wellman City Administrator Kelly Litwiller reported that the city received several calls about flooding. However, the calls the city received involved rainwater.

Litwiller said some of the calls involved sump pumps that could not keep up with the amount of water, while other cases also appeared to involve rainwater.

Floodwaters also covered some farmland and the Wellman Rotary Soccer Complex. By Monday, however, the water had receded and the complex had been cleaned up. Much of the affected farmland remained wet until later in the week.

Lone Tree flooding

Lone Tree also experienced significant flooding after receiving about 4 to 5 inches of rain.

The heavy rainfall caused the Iowa River to peak at about 16.8 feet, resulting in flooding for some areas near the river.

River Bend Campground was another area impacted by the flooding and had to be closed after it was covered with water from the storm.

According to reports, Lone Tree received about 4 to 5 inches of rain.

Other areas flooded

Other communities in the area, including Washington, Iowa City and Ainsworth, also experienced substantial rainfall and flooding. Washington received about 2 to 5 inches of rain, while Iowa City received about 2 inches. Ainsworth was among the hardest-hit areas, receiving about 5 inches of rain and experiencing significant flooding.

In Ainsworth, some residential homes experienced flooding, with several inches of water entering basements. Floodwaters also reached areas near Railroad Street.

Disaster relief fund

Because of the flooding, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster emergency proclamation for Washington County on Monday, Sept. 28. Through the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program, qualifying households affected by the storm can receive up to $7,000 for certain disaster-related expenses.

Washington County residents who experienced flood damage to their homes can report the damage and may be eligible for assistance following the governor’s proclamation.