“I turned down Pershing Avenue in downtown Davenport to get across
the Arsenal Bridge and the water was just there in an instant. The
immediate devastation is something I’ve never seen a flood do before.
My heart is warmed in the hours since, thinking of the man named Ryan
who told me he jumped into the 45° floodwater to check cars for trapped
people. The Davenport Fire Department launched boats into the street in
fifteen minutes and got so many people out of buildings safely. I won’t forget the businesswoman running down 2nd Street in heels with a sandbag in each fist.
As I try to rest my brain, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. For those who’ve never visited, the Quad Cities is such a beautiful place. A third of a million people criss-cross one of the most recognized rivers in the world!
Living here is such a privilege.
So many important parts of life for the “Quad Citizen” revolve around our big river. While we sometimes curse it for dividing us, it’s always there to symbolize the middle of us.
But today we’re tested, just like 1993 and 2001. Two and a half million gallons passing by each second at incredible speed.
As people band together to fight the flood, we need to keep thinking of the good that can happen next.
If you can help, please do it. As power is cut, there’s a need for generators. We need experience. We need know-how. We need muscle and brawn.
We need help for neighbors who need shelter and support. We need help for those without income as their businesses are closed and livelihoods are interrupted. If you can raise it in your community and have it to spare, please consider donating.
I remember the huge relief effort we had in Rockford when Cedar Rapids experienced incredible flooding a decade ago. We will need that kind of effort again.
Many of our favorite restaurants, bars, and breweries are gone. But with help cleaning up and rebuilding, we know they will be back and this will be temporary.
Even though our river is angry now, we need you to plan a visit so our economy can remain healthy.
Looking beyond this flood, we must promise not to use hindsight, but instead welcome thoughtful ideas on flood control, knowing that the next big one could only be just years away.
Lastly, we need prayers and encouragement because we don’t know if the worst is behind us. But one thing is certain: The best is still in us.
We are the Quad Cities. We are the marvels on the Mississippi.”
Excerpt from "The Flood Watcher"
Erin Sorensen - WQAD
April 30, 2019
Photos Courtesy of Casey Austin Photography and QC Drone
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