Davenport ballpark flooded as Guard sends more troops

A volunteer firefighter looks at homes flooded by the Mississippi River near Guttenberg, Iowa, on Saturday

DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNN) -- The Iowa National Guard battled to keep downtown Davenport from the advancing Mississippi River as flooding reached the city's riverfront baseball stadium.

Concrete slabs at the northwest corner of John O'Donnell Stadium gave way because of groundwater seepage, and authorities feared the situation would worsen as the river's crest approached Tuesday.

"An earthen levee is holding but is leaking," said Davenport spokeswoman Jennifer Nahra. "Floodwaters are rising inside the stadium."

Concerns remain ahead of Tuesday's projected river crest of 22 to 22.5 feet, just short of the 1993 record of 22.63 feet. Residents, volunteers and Guard troops have labored for days, filling sandbags to protect area businesses.

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

"We've had rain today," Nahra said. "The rain on the bags can weaken the walls."

Because of the rising Mississippi, the city's Class A minor-league baseball team -- the Quad City River Bandits -- has had to take its home schedule on the road. Home games are being split between Riverview Stadium in Clinton, Iowa, about 30 miles to the north, and Black Hawk College across the river in Moline, Illinois.

The Iowa National Guard now has 106 troops in Davenport, bringing in another 20 soldiers and 15 engineers on Sunday, Col. Robert C. King said.

"Their primary focus is to protect the water plant," he said.

Davenport Public Works Director Dee Bruemmer said the Guard will also assist with protecting levees and building reinforcement walls downtown.

More than 75 other Guard troops were deployed in other Iowa communities, Marquette and Camanche, helping with levees, sump pumps and traffic control, King said.

Sunday afternoon, city officials began going door to door in a southwest Davenport neighborhood, distributing leaflets with relocation plans in case residents have to evacuate the area, Nahra said.

In addition, sightseers wanting to catch a glimpse of the near-record levels on the Mississippi have been a small headache for city officials. "People have been driving around the barricades to get a better look at the river," Nahra said, "Not a major problem, but it is a concern."

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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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