Bob Franken: Rising water and high hopes in Davenport

Franken

CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken has been covering the floods in the upper Midwest for the past few days.

Q: Davenport, Iowa, decided against building a wall along the riverbank after the last round of flooding. How is it holding up?

FRANKEN: They decided way back when that they really wanted to enjoy the beauty of the riverfront -- and enjoy the millions of dollars in tourist money that came with it. Right now, the beauty of the river is being marred by the 23-foot- high sea wall that has been constructed out of sandbags, as civilians and National Guard troops prepare frantically to try to wall off the Mississippi.

There's one little problem: They built it at that height based on a belief that the crest would be about 21 feet. The latest prediction is that it would be about 22 1/2 feet Tuesday night, so that's cutting it very, very close.

VIDEO CNN's Bob Franken reports from an Iowa town that is preparing for expected floodwaters from the Mississippi River Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) The Minnesota National Guard calls for volunteers to build dikes, while rising waters wash out Amtrak lines between Minneapolis and Chicago Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    INTERACTIVE Techniques for fighting floodwaters    CNN WEATHER FORECASTS Davenport, IA La Crosse, WI Shakopee, WI Grand Forks, ND Granite Falls, MN    RESOURCES CNN weather satellite: U.S. North Central    ALSO Iowa levees feel weight of Mississippi

Q: Is anyone now second-guessing the decision not to wall off the river?

FRANKEN: They agree with the decision. They take the attitude that if you live in a riverfront community, you're going to get floods once in a while. So you spend maybe a little less than $1 million fighting it, and construction of a sea wall would have cost $25-30 million.

Q: What's the scene in Davenport and across the river on the Illinois side?

FRANKEN: Right now, you can look across the river and see the casinos, and they're closed. The water is starting to creep up here, but there are some clubs that are staying open as long as they can.

There is a little pub in the downtown area that is staying open. It's a brew pub, and the one concession customers have to make is that two of the four brands they make are not available because there has been some flooding of the vats.

Q: Is Davenport still expected to take the brunt of the flooding?

FRANKEN: Davenport could take a big hit. That is based on a belief that there are going to be some sporadic rain showers, but nothing especially heavy. If the forecasts are wrong and the rain does fall heavily, that could be disastrous.

Q: Some states have been using inmates to help shore up the levees. How is that working?

FRANKEN: It's actually gone on all over. Here in Iowa, they use some of the kids who are in boot camp, which is of course for first offenders. Officials were saying they are some of the most remarkably productive workers, but many of them are much younger than the others who are piling up all the sandbags.

Q: What's the most interesting thing you've seen in the past few days there?

FRANKEN: In Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, which had been hit hard, there was quite a bit of neighborliness. It's a small town, and it's always nice to see that the small-town concept has not gone away. People were helping each other, sometimes taking their boats from house to house. It's fascinating.

More rain forecast for flooded Midwest
April 20, 2001
Long weekend of rain threatens flooded Midwest
April 19, 2001
Mississippi edging up banks of Quad Cities area
April 18, 2001
Minnesota, Wisconsin watch flood-strained dikes
April 17, 2001

Minnesota Department of Public Safety
The National Weather Servicee

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