Several tailgating tents fell over, with debris floating through the floodwaters Wednesday, Aug. 11 in the Iowa State Center parking lot. Water continued to fill the area as the South Skunk River and Squaw Creek reached record levels. Water damaged several buildings in the Iowa State Center complex, including Hilton Coliseum. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
A tale of two cities
By Jessica.Opoien @iowastatedaily.com
I
t was a tale of two cities as Ames residents discovered that days of rain had split the town in two. In some areas, people could come and go freely — but for others, the only way out was by boat. Storms descended on Ames the evening of Aug. 10. The deluge was not unlike those the town had seen in the days before, but the rain that fell from Tuesday into Wednesday — 3.86 inches — was enough to
push flooding to record levels. The South Skunk River at U.S. Highway 30 crested at about 10 a.m. Aug. 11, setting a new record at 26.72 feet. The previous record, 25.57 feet, was recorded on June 27, 1975. The Squaw Creek at Lincoln Way crested at about 8 a.m. Aug. 11, at 18.13 feet — falling shy of the record, 18.54 feet, set on June 9, 1993. As the floodwaters began to recede, Ames residents and businesses felt the impact. People were evacuated from their homes and workplaces. A boil order sent
people flocking to grocery stores to prepare for the impending limits on water consumption. Four days after the boil order was instated, it was lifted with the announcement that all water samples had tested negative for bacteria. The costs of damage to facilities such as Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum and some local businesses remain unknown. Cleaning service vans are now a familiar sight around Ames, as businesses attempt to repair and reopen.
A group of friends play in a flooded area of the Southeast Intramural Fields on Tuesday, Aug. 10. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
TUESDAY
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The ISU campus, which shut down for one day, awaits the arrival of about 28,000 students for the start of classes Aug. 23. In some places, Iowa State’s intramural fields resemble lakes. Other parts of campus appear untouched by disaster. A Presidential Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance has been granted to 29 Iowa counties, including Story County. Aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will come for those who need it, but for some, recovery won’t begin until the floodwaters have dried.
Jack, the dog, owned by Kevin Charlson of Ames, plays in the floodwaters of Squaw Creek on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at Brookside Park. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
August 17, 2010, Volume 206 >> Number 0.1 >> Free >> iowastatedaily.com >> An independent newspaper serving Iowa State since 1890
Hilton waterlogged Floodwaters filled Hilton Coliseum
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Lied closed Water forced the closure of Lied Rec
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Residents cleanup Floodwaters leave widespread damage
2 | Hilton | Iowa State Daily
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
HILTON COLISEUM
The wooden court in Hilton Coliseum floats on the surface of approximately 10 feet of floodwaters Thursday, Aug. 12. Crews were pumping water out of the building and were still unable to access some of the lower areas, including the locker rooms. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Hilton takes on floodwater By Jeremiah.Davis Kari.Dockum Torey.Robinson @iowastatedaily.com
Article as published on Flood Day 1, Aug. 11 Women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly was at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday and witnessed a “sad” scene: the basketball and volleyball court rising with the floodwaters. “It’s hard not to cry a little bit. A lot of people have worked really hard,” he said. “People changed offices, and there’s a lot of good things going on in that building.” Fennelly said the usual eight-minute trip from his home to Hilton took an hour Wednesday morning. The water has risen to a height between 6 and 8 feet, likely destroying locker rooms and threatening to reach the basketball offices. Because of the flooding, the volleyball team has moved practice to West Towne Courts, at 1005 Dickinson Ave. Volleyball coach Christy JohnsonLynch said she and her staff were also busy helping players find new dorms. “It’s not pretty right now,” she said. Fennelly talked to Johnson-Lynch and was unsure about what’s next for Hilton Coliseum. “I’m sure that [the volleyball team] is going to have some long-term discussions,”
he said. “I know today, when I was with Christy, they were trying to find some place to practice. I don’t know what they’ll do.” Fennelly said he doesn’t think the flooding will affect the women’s basketball practice schedule. “We don’t practice until October, so we have a little time,” he said. “But in the short term, your focus has to be just hoping that structurally the building is fine.” Men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg was not able to get to Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday and said he doesn’t anticipate getting there later in the day due to road closures. Hoiberg doesn’t believe the flooding will affect the men’s basketball team, though. “With the new practice facility, we’ll be fine,” he said. “It shouldn’t affect us too much.” Hoiberg was on the team after the flooding in 1993 and said things returned to normal fairly quickly. “It had more of an effect on us because we didn’t have a practice facility back then,” he said. Hoiberg said he doesn’t foresee any long-term damage that might prevent the team from playing there this season. “I remember the last time, they made strides very quickly as far as getting everything back in order,” he said. “I’m confident they’ll do quick work and get Hilton back rolling here soon.”
Debris floats in the loading dock Thursday, Aug. 12, on the east side of Hilton Coliseum. At the time, floodwaters were considered a threat to Hilton’s locker rooms and potential threat to the basketball offices. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
The Iowa State Center parking lot is covered by several feet of floodwaters, leaving several portable toilets floating through the area. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Iowa State Daily | Athletics | 3
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
SPORTS
The ISU soccer field will need repairs before the team can begin practicing or playing on the field. Nets had to be replaced, and the stands needing washing after the area was submerged in water following the Wednesday, Aug. 11 flooding. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Athletic department begins recovery By Jake.Lovett @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 2, Aug. 12 The wooden floor inside Hilton Coliseum floated on top of an estimated 12 feet of water Wednesday. Thanks to crews pumping water out of the building since 9 a.m. Thursday, the water level was estimated to be down to 10 feet by Thursday afternoon. ISU associate athletic director Nick Britton said the athletic department will work to remove all of the water from the building before assessing the damage further. “We’ve got to get all this water out and then assess the situation and get everybody in here that we need to help us do that,” Britton said. Britton said the timetable surrounding water removal depended on a number of things, including whether the water level comes up again with the predicted rainfall Friday. He also said the crews may employ the use of more pumps later in the removal process. The flooding not only has caused damage in Hilton, but has completely flooded the ISU Soccer Complex, forcing both the volleyball and soccer squads to find other locations to prepare for their upcoming seasons. Steve Malchow, senior associate athletic director for communications, said the ISU volleyball team has been conducting practice at West Towne Courts and the soccer team is considering moving practice to some outdoor fields near Ankeny. In the meantime, both the soccer and football
teams have moved some practices to the Bergstrom Indoor Facility. The water inside the coliseum has left the Cyclones’ first volleyball match, the Cardinal vs. Gold scrimmage on Aug. 21, in doubt. However, following the scrimmage, the Cyclones’ first regular season match at home is not until Sept. 3. Meanwhile, the ISU soccer team has a match scheduled Aug. 20, but due to the condition of the field the game likely will have to be moved. Malchow dismissed Jack Trice Stadium as an option for the soccer match, saying “football tears it up anyway.” “We’re looking at all of our options right now, but the immediate thing is trying to take care of all of their practices,” Malchow said. Going forward, no timetables have been laid out
COMMENTARY
for repairs to Hilton or any other damaged facilities. Right now, the extent of damages are not even known as the lower levels of the arena are still underwater. “It’s a little frustrating because we still don’t know what we’re up against,” Malchow said. “It’s this week’s challenge. It’s a significant one, but we’ve got no option. We’ve got to deal with it.” Several key aspects of the arena are still underwater, including the locker rooms, the production rooms used for running the coliseum’s scoreboards and the new volleyball offices, which hadn’t even been completed prior to the flooding. Malchow estimated the new volleyball offices would be “totalled,” while the locker rooms are “prob-
ably toast.” Athletic department employees also guessed that several smaller objects — such as media monitors and training equipment — also were destroyed, the cost of which “adds up.” “We’re a resilient bunch,” Malchow said. “This is a tough thing we’re going to have to battle together, but there are some strong-minded people in this athletic department and we’ll survive this, too. It’s a challenge, but one that we have to embrace and we’ll succeed and make our way through it.” — Jack Trice Stadium is one of few ISU athletic facilities not greatly affected by the flooding, and Malchow said there have been no significant damages noticed at the stadium. While nothing at the stadium will keep Iowa State
from matching up with Northern Illinois on Sept. 2, Britton said that water in the surrounding areas may force a change in parking locations. “We have general parking lots and Cyclone Club lots that park on the grass, and they’re flooded right now,” Britton said. Some of the technical operations for Jack Trice’s scoreboard are run out of Hilton Coliseum, adding to potential snags leading up to the season. “There are a lot of pieces we need to evaluate in the coming days and weeks to see where we’re at,” Malchow said. — Malchow said the ISU athletic ticket office will be closed Friday, to allow for repairs to be made in that facility. The ticket offices will be open for operation again on Monday.
FOOTBALL
Flood tests strength of Cyclone sports Teams scramble to regroup, rebuild after record rainfall By Jeremiah.Davis @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 3, Aug. 13 It’s hard to believe that just a few days ago one of the biggest concerns the people of Ames had was how to deal with road construction. Now? Now it’s hard to find drinkable water. The old saying goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” That couldn’t be more evident today. Ames and Iowa State are facing the toughest challenge they’ve seen in recent memory. On Wednesday, I arrived in Ames to the utter devastation on University Avenue and around Hilton Coliseum and Jack Trice Stadium. It was a truly sad sight to see. My feelings echoed that of women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly, who said, “It’s hard not to cry a little bit.” And now, days after torrential rains rocked Ames, Iowa State and the Ames community have to regroup and begin to rebuild. How fast it gets done and how much it will cost is anyone’s guess. As of Thursday afternoon, water inside Hilton Coliseum was approximately 10 feet high, or just below the scoreboards in the corners of the lower level. Hilton staff had four large pumps running, try-
ing to remove water, but with such an amount and only four pumps, there’s no telling how long that will take. Assistant Athletic Director Nick Britton led various members of the media on a brief look at Hilton on Thursday, and when asked how long he thought it might take to drain the water, he gave an exasperated laugh, shrugged his shoulders and said, “I have no idea.” That theme — one of uncertainty and doubt — is one common amongst ISU officials. They’re just as confused, frustrated and exhausted as anyone, maybe more so in some cases. With the water at its current level, it’s likely that all the offices and locker rooms on the lower levels of Hilton are destroyed. It begs the question: How much will it all cost? But that’s just one more unanswerable question. Until the water is removed and they can assess the situation, there simply is no way of knowing exactly how much it will end up being. However, they remain as upbeat as possible. Steve Malchow, senior associate athletic director for communications, was also at the mini-tour of Hilton on Thursday afternoon. He joked that they had wanted to renovate the locker rooms anyway. But Malchow did stress
the gravity of the task ahead. The athletic department has two programs that are immediately affected by the flooding. The volleyball team has been forced to relocate to West Towne Courts, and the women’s soccer team will have to as well, as their field — along with Lied Recreation Athletic Center — is submerged. Malchow said the immediate worry is where the teams will practice, and they’ll worry about games second. But with ISU soccer having its opener Aug. 20, there is precious little time in which to figure things out. Looking forward, there is little doubt amongst those within the athletic department that things will be fixed and return to normal. Tailgaters may have to deal with mosquitoes and park in the grass somewhere, but don’t doubt that those who support and love Iowa State will continue to do so. Until then, it’s up to Mother Nature to decide if more action has to be taken. It’s times like these when the true character and resiliency of a university and its members come out. I think Bill Fennelly said it best on Twitter: “Love this quote--if it truly means something you WILL find a way-if not you will find an excuse. We WILL find a way- NO excuses at Iowa State.”
ISU football players move sandbags into position Wednesday, Aug. 11, at the Jacobson Building. No water entered the building. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Football players aid in sandbagging efforts By Jeremiah.Davis Kari.Dockum Torey.Robinson @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 1, Aug. 11 The football team aided in flooding efforts Wednesday morning by placing sandbags around the Jacobson Building and the surrounding area. Coach Paul Rhoads said players arrived for team activities at 6 a.m. and immediately began helping in the effort. “Some guys were here all night and the rest of us got here early this morning,”
Rhoads said. “Those football players that were here before the roads closed ... as the water started to rise, we went to work and started sandbagging.” Rhoads said nothing inside the Jacobson Building had flooded yet. He also said that as long as the indoor practice field stays dry, the team can practice and will do so Wednesday afternoon. “Right now we’re waiting for the water to hold and begin to recede,” Rhoads said. “We’re obviously not doing anything we were scheduled to do today at this point, but it won’t put us behind.” The water won’t stop practice. Regardless of the condition of the practice field, “we’ll figure out something,” Rhoads said.
4 | Lied Rec | Iowa State Daily
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
RECREATION SERVICES
Water flooded the Maple-Willow-Larch and Lied Recreation Athletic Center parking lots and the nearby street Wednesday. Sandbags were put up to prevent further water damage outside Lied, and the facility opened its doors again Monday. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
Lied cleanup begins By Jake.Lovett @iowastatedaily.com
ServiceMaster cleanup crews help to remove the water from the indoor track Friday, Aug. 13 at Lied Recreation Athletic Center. Many in-season teams are directly impacted by the water damage at Lied and will be forced to find other facilities to hold practices. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
ServiceMaster cleanup crews help to remove the water from the indoor track Friday, Aug. 14 at Lied Recreation Athletic Center. Lied was open for use Monday, with limited access. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
Cleanup crews use heavy equipment to help remove mud from the parking lots Friday, Aug. 13 at Lied Recreation Athletic Center. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
Article as published on Flood Day 3, Aug. 13 Numerous workers were inside Lied Recreation Athletic Center on Friday morning, cleaning up floodwaters and other damage caused by flooding earlier in the week. Mike Giles, director of Recreation Services since June 1, has been working with crews from ServiceMaster since Thursday morning recovering from the estimated 18-24 inches of water that was inside the building. “Pretty much, the entire first floor has been compromised,” Giles said. Giles said all the wooden racquet ball courts and carpeting in Recreation Services offices have been destroyed and need replacing. “At some point, those will have to come out and go back in,” he said. Nearly all of the equipment storage areas on the first floor will likely need repaired or replaced in the coming weeks, as well. Meanwhile, the director did not yet know the extent of the damage done to Lied’s indoor track or artificial turf. “We’ve lost little things to big things,” Giles said. “It’s not really a matter at this point to be able to pinpoint specifics.” Giles said that all sandbagging efforts done at Lied were “completely ineffective,” as some areas outside the building had water levels well above the height of the sandbags. There was damage to the roll-up door going onto the track, as water got behind the sandbags and pressure on the door “basically pushed the door in.” Giles said he thought the damage to the door was the main breach into the building, but also indicated there was water “bubbling up” from the sub-structure of the building. “It wasn’t just a matter of the water coming, it was coming from all around,” Giles said. Recreation Service staff members were first inside the building between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday, and then service crews were inside to begin cleanup Thursday morning. Thursday, crews opened doors to the building and allowed water to flow out, meaning there has been no pumping of water as has been done at Hilton Coliseum. Giles said Recreation Services hopes to have Lied open early next week, but first must evaluate safety of students — i.e., mold and bacteria in the building — before giving students access to the third floor “as quickly as possible.” “With us moving forward and students coming back to campus, our goal is to give [students] access in here as soon as possible,” Giles said. Giles said Beyer Hall received no damage in the storm and will be open again Monday, but access to the building will be limited, as there will be no access to locker rooms or showers. The pool inside Beyer Hall will also be closed for the time being. Further extensive damage has been suffered on the outdoor intramural fields, such as the ones next to Maple-Willow-Larch — still completely underwater as of Friday morning — and the southwest fields near Jack Trice Stadium. The southwest fields are now what Giles described as “debris fields,” as the areas not submerged in water are littered with portable toilets and other debris that drifted to the fields. Recreation Services began working with the university on insurance claims to help finance repair and recovery for damaged facilities. Giles said the department will begin meeting with adjusters over the next few days to determine the extent of the damage. Students who would like to exercise during the time Lied is closed might have another option. Brett Halverson, manager of Ames Racquet and Fitness on S. 17th Street, said the clubs will allow anyone with access to Lied to use their facilities for free until Lied is once again operational. “We know that this is a stressful time for a lot of people and we believe in exercise and health and fitness, and we think this is the right thing to do,” Halverson said. Students, staff and faculty who have access to Lied can come into any one of the three Ames offices to get a temporary pass that is good until Lied’s facilities are up and running. Despite all of the rainfall, construction is still ongoing at State Gym. Giles said there have been delays on the site due to the high amounts of rainfall in Ames this summer, but the project is still on track to be completed in early fall of 2011. The State Gym project is entirely independent from flood recovery efforts, so there should be no delays caused at State Gym. “Without any type of major catastrophe that we have no control over, I see no initial impact on the continuation of construction,” Giles said.
Iowa State Daily | Water | 5
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
A student takes a 24-pack of water Friday, Aug. 13, at Frederiksen Court. Residents were allotted a case of water. The boil order was put into effect after eight water mains broke during the flooding on Wednesday, Aug. 11. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Wanting water
When it all began... By Eddie.Leonard and Brian.Smith @iowastatedaily.com
Article as published on Flood Day 1, Aug. 11 City of Ames officials held an afternoon news conference to update the city on the flooding situations. Mayor Ann Campbell said “unprecedented amounts of water” following several days of heavy rain caused the flooding. At some point during the day, city engineers noticed a “dramatic” drop in the water pressure, indicating a possible water main break. A break was discovered under Squaw Creek. Because the break occurred near floodwaters, the city shut down the water plant to eliminate the potential for contaminating the water. Tests have not confirmed any contaminants in the water, but the city said until the system is operational, all water should be assumed contaminated. City officials also have asked residents to contact them if water is spotted bubbling up, as this could indicate another water main leak. The water pressure is being kept low so the city can monitor for further leaks. Residents who do have water pressure are reminded to treat the water as contaminated and are asked not to flush toilets or take showers. Water is expected to be usable for toilets and showers at some point tonight, but will not be considered sanitary for three to seven days. Iowa Governor Chet Culver has toured the area and the city is coordinating with the state to create a potable water distribution center. Most grocery stores have run out of water, but are attempting to replenish supplies as quickly as possible. Police Chief Chuck Cychosz said his department has performed “in excess of 100” rescues. He said police, fire and emergency medical services are fully functional. Residents are reminded to stay out of floodwaters, which can be extremely dangerous. They are also asked to avoid sightseeing, especially in vehicles. Kevin Anderson, Ames city sanitarian, said restaurants have been asked to close voluntarily. He reminded people not to use tap water for cooking, drinking or cleaning dishes. Anderson also said not to use ice machines, beverage dispensers or automatic dishwashers. The city tentatively plans to hold another news conference at 8 p.m. at city hall. ™
online
Complete coverage:
For all stories and photos related to the flooding, visit iowastatedaily.com/flood10
Customers at the west Ames Hy-Vee buy packages of water after the water plant temporarily shut down Wednesday, Aug. 11. The water plant temporarily shut down due to flooding. Photo: Moriah Smith/Iowa State Daily
disaster recovery ■■ ■■
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Call your hauler to take away damaged household items. Return sandbags to the sandbag stations at South Duff Avenue and Southeast Third Street or the S. Dayton Avenue and Southeast 16th Street. Water distribution sites will close today at 5 p.m. Throw plastic bottles in the regular trash; it will be delivered to the resource recovery system where all bottles will be recycled and turned into electricity.
boil water advisory ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■
Do not wash dishes, even in residential and commercial dishwashers. Do not drink, cook with, brush teeth with water or use it to make ice. If water is needed, boil first or use bottled water. Water distribution is still available at these locations: North Walmart, 3015 Grand Ave. Sam’s Club, 305 Airport Road McFarland Clinic West, 3600 Lincoln Way Lot 61A by the Towers dorms
water distribution The city has set up four water distribution points throughout the city. The water is limited to one gallon per person per day and is available at the following locations from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.: ■■ Sam’s Club on Airport Road ■■ McFarland Clinic West, next to the west Hy-Vee ■■ Iowa State Lot 61, located next to the Towers Residence Association ■■ Walmart on Grand Avenue
river levels As of Saturday morning, river levels are as follows: ■■ Squaw Creek at Lincoln Way: 4 feet lower ■■ Skunk River at Riverside: 6 feet lower ■■ Skunk River at U.S. Highway 30: 2 feet lower
After a rush from Ames residents to buy bottled water, the Hy-Vee in west Ames posted a sign announcing it had run out of water Wednesday, Aug. 11. Trucks later brought in cases of water that evening. Photo: Moriah Smith/Iowa State Daily
6 | Water | Iowa State Daily
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
WATER MADNESS TIMELINE
Ames water safe for personal use By Edward.Leonard @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 1, Aug. 11 Ames’ water is now safe to use for showering and other personal uses, but is still not safe to drink. The city of Ames held a follow-up news conference this evening concerning the nature of public utilities and their restoration to usable conditions in the community. The city identified two large water main breaks and four smaller breaks in the water system. All of these leaks were closed off, and no more leaks are thought to be present. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Workers at the downtown Fareway rush out a pallet of bottled water Wednesday, Aug. 11. Many local grocery stores had to get emergency shipments of bottled water to keep up with demand. Photo: Manfred Brugger/Iowa State Daily
How to survive without water By Sarah.Binder and Jessie.Opoien @iowastatedaily.com
Article as published on Flood Day 1, Aug. 11 Preparing safe water: From city of Ames news release: “To properly boil water, it should be brought to a roiling boil for three to five minutes, and then allowed to cool. Boiled water may have a ‘flat’ taste due to a decrease in oxygen content. Pouring the water back and forth between two containers will help restore a more normal taste.” “If customers are unable to boil water, water may also be disinfected by using household liquid bleach. Only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite should be used. Do not use scented bleaches, colorsafe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners. Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes.” Showering: City officials said at a press conference that water is expected to be usable for toilets and showers at some point tonight, but will not be consid-
Community asked to conserve water By Brian.Smith and Eddie.Leonard @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 2, Aug. 12 The city has repaired and isolated all water main breaks, but full pressure cannot be restored due to water usage by the community. The city is asking residents to make a “temporary lifestyle change” and conserve as much water as possible. Two more water main leaks were found, totaling eight. The new leaks have since been shut off. Due to the shut-off pipelines and a lack of power in several major wells, the water flow in west Ames has been reduced by 60 percent. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Flushing process begins in hydrants By Abby.Barefoot @iowastatedaily.com Stacks of bottled water outside Hawthorne Market and Cafe in Frederiksen Court. Water distribution centers throughout Ames worked to get drinking water to residents. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
ered sanitary for three to seven days. Buying bottled water: From the press conference: Iowa Governor Chet Culver has toured the area and the city is coordinating with the state to create a potable water distribution center. Most grocery stores have run out of water, but are attempting to replenish supplies as quickly as possible.
Pets: From the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, “Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed.” Standing water: From the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, “Wading in flood waters can also be a cause of infection or result in a variety of injuries.”
EXTENDING A HELPING HAND
Article as published on Flood Day 3, Aug. 13 Ames water tanks have enough water to begin the hydrant flushing process. Since multiple water main breaks emptied Ames water towers and compromised city drinking water earlier this week, the Ames Water and Pollution Control Department continues to work to restore safe drinking water to homes and businesses. Residents should not expect drinkable tap water until early next week. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Water restriction will be removed By Chelsea.Davis @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 4, Aug. 14 As of 2 p.m. today, the city of Ames will lift the restriction on volume of water usage. Residents may begin doing laundry, showering and cleaning up any messes created by the floodwaters. “Overnight flushing operations continued and we made tremendous progress,” said John Dunn, director of water and pollution control. “At around 10:15 p.m. last night ISU completed its flushing of Central Campus.” Dunn said 88 water quality samples have been obtained throughout the community and 90 more will be taken today. “The results will be used to lift the boil water advisory,” Dunn said. He stressed, though, that only if all of the samples come back displaying no signs of contamination will the boil water advisory be lifted. If not, the city of Ames would need another 30 hours to obtain more samples and retest for contamination. A four-inch main break on Murray Drive occurred last night but was repaired by 11 p.m. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Customers at the west Ames Hy-Vee hurry to get water after the water plant was shut down in Ames on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The water plant closed due to the flooding in Ames. Photo: Moriah Smith/Iowa State Daily
Water delivery available for some By Brian.Smith @iowastatedaily.com
As published on Flood Day 2, Aug. 12
The city of Ames and the American Red Cross are delivering water to Ames residents who meet certain criteria. Residents wanting water delivered must meet one of the following requirements according to a news release issued by the city: ■■
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They are on Social Security Disability, Social Security Supplemental Security Income or Veteran’s Affairs Disability Have a doctor’s statement or a case worker’s name Are 75 years old or older Anyone meeting the criteria and wanting water delivered is asked to call Diane Voss at 515-2395105. Unqualified residents still are able to pick up water at one of four distribution points in Ames. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Volunteers help to pass out water By Micaela.Cashman @iowastatedaily.com
As published on Flood Day 2, Aug. 12 Volunteers from Sigma Kappa sorority worked to pass out gallons and bottles of water to Ames residents Wednesday in the southwest corner of Iowa State’s Lot 61. Sigma Kappa members were recruited by Greek Services, which worked with the ISU Police to coordinate the volunteering. Lieutenant Carrie Jacobs of ISU Police said water will be distributed from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day until it no longer is necessary. Distribution centers are scattered throughout the Ames community at North Grand Walmart, Sam’s Club on Airport Road, McFarland Clinic West next to West Hy-Vee and Lot 61 by Wallace Hall. Jacobs said the state of Iowa and multiple Midwestern agencies are donating water to Ames. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Boil order revoked, flush out plumbing By Chelsea Davis @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 5, Aug. 15 The boil order for Ames residents and businesses has been lifted. After a total of 173 water samples all tested negative for bacteria, Clark Thompson, engineer for Facilities Planning and Management; Phil Propes, superintendent of the water treatment plant; and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources determined the boil order is no longer in effect. John Dunn, director of the department of water and pollution control, said residents should open each faucet in their residences fully and let it run until it runs cold to make sure it is completely flushed out. “Residents should run the dishwasher once with no dishes and throw the first two batches of ice away,” Dunn said. Dunn also said residents should run the shower turned completely to hot until it runs cold, “just like your 14-year-old just used the shower.” Dunn became choked up when he spoke of the efforts of his staff and the community to return Ames to a semi-normal state. the rest of the story’s online, at iowastatedaily.com
Iowa State Daily | People | 7
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
COMMUNITY
Matthew Jacobson-Fisher, 6, left, and his brother Benjamin, 2, play in the sand used for sandbags Wednesday, Aug. 11 off of South Duff Avenue. Their mother, Matia Jacobson, works at Target and had brought them out to help. Jacobson said, “It’s good to show community help and how far volunteerism can go.” Photo: Eloisa Perez-Lozano/Iowa State Daily
Ames community reacts By Torey.Robinson @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 3, Aug. 13 Tom Hummer was just concerned about getting to work Wednesday morning. Hummer, who was scheduled to open at Dairy Queen on Orion Drive, drove for more than an hour from Franklin Avenue — a trip that lasts 10 minutes on any other day. “I had to try and drive County Line Road and had to go all the way around Ada Hayden [Heritage Park] because 13th Street was flooded,” Hummer said. “I felt like no matter what way I went I couldn’t get to the north side of town.” Hummer, senior in English, made arrangements to work another shift in the afternoon, and returned home — only to find an inch of standing water in his basement.
“I never thought I’d say we’re lucky to only have an inch of water in our basement,” Hummer said. “We’ll have to replace all the carpet, but I know there were people more affected than we were.” Hummer’s employer had his own mess to handle. Allan Sorenson had to close Dairy Queen on Wednesday due to the shutdown of the Ames water plant. “There’s no way we were about to serve contaminated water to our customers,” Sorenson said. Dairy Queen was able to reopen Thursday. Sorenson’s home receives water from Xenia Rural Water and he is able to bring clean water into the store for washing dishes, hands and surfaces. Dairy Queen is serving its full menu and will transport clean water to the building until Ames water is safe to drink.
Ames resident Tanner Hansen, left, Ames Middle School principal Renee Rocko, and Jared Oelmann, sophomore at Gilbert High School, ride on a tractor to pick up office supplies from a business Wednesday, Aug. 11, off of S. Duff Avenue. Items removed from the business included records and office supplies. Photo: Eloisa Perez-Lozano/Iowa State Daily
Kevin Charlson, of Ames, takes his dog, Jack, to play in the floodwaters of Squaw Creek on Tuesday, Aug. 10 at Brookside Park. The creek flooded other places around Ames, such as the Boys and Girls Club of Story County and Veenker Memorial Golf Course. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
Heather Caruthers, graduate student in chemistry, calls up to a neighbor while retrieving items from her apartment Wednesday, Aug. 11, at Southview Estates. Caruthers plans to stay with a friend until the floodwaters recede and her apartment is cleaned out. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Ames resident Tanner Hansen, left, and his father, Butch Hansen, owner of Butch’s Amoco BP, help unload office supplies and documents from a tractor Wednesday morning off of South Duff Avenue. The tractor was provided by Speck Plumbing. Photo: Eloisa PerezLozano/Iowa State Daily
8 | People | Iowa State Daily
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
COMMUNITY
Ames resident Tanner Hansen rides on a tractor carrying office supplies and records Wednesday, Aug. 11, off of S. Duff Avenue. The tractor, provided by Speck Plumbing, made about three to five trips to rescue more documents and then to carry sandbags to businesses. The area around S. Duff Avenue and S. Fourth Street was among the hardest hit around the Ames and ISU community. Photo: Eloisa Perez-Lozano/Iowa State Daily
Residents begin cleanup
Insulation under a damaged mobile home in Meadow Lane Mobile Home Park dries on Friday, Aug. 13. The owner will have to strip and replace all the insulation under his mobile home. The deck of the mobile home floated up to a tree when the floodwaters rose. The owner utilized the floodwaters and moved the deck back toward his mobile home before the water receded. Photo: Moriah Smith/Iowa State Daily
Cleanup crews enter the University Community Childcare building on Friday, Aug. 13. Carpets, doors and cabinets all have to be replaced and the walls will be cut out up to two feet above ground to ensure proper removal of damaged materials. Floodwater covered 6-8 inches of the entire building earlier in the week, causing significant damage and forcing the center to shut down for an estimated two months of restoration. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Trash was deposited outside after being stripped out of Lied Recreation Athletic Center on Monday, Aug. 16. Floodwaters may have receded, but cleanup efforts continue. Lied opened its doors again Monday, Aug. 16, but access was limited because of damage to the first and second floors. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
City workers cut into concrete to replace an electrical line Monday, Aug. 16, near the Maple-WillowLarch Intramural field. Flooding damaged the lines, which are currently located below ground, so crews are permanently raising them to prevent future incidents. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Boxes of salvaged toys and equipment are stacked in one of the emptied rooms before being hauled off for storage Friday, Aug. 13. Items that were on the upper shelves and those that were made of treated wood were all that could be saved. Childcare administrators are looking for alternative places to accommodate the children in the meantime. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Iowa State Daily | Iowa State Center | 9
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
SCHEMAN BUILDING
The basement of the Scheman Building is shown flooded Wednesday. Damages and costs remain unclear until the condition of the mechanical room equipment can be determined. Fisher Theater and Stephens Auditorium remain up and running, and events are expected to proceed as planned. Photo: Manfred Brugger/Iowa State Daily
Flood damage unclear By Dylan.Boyle @iowastatedaily.com Article as published on Flood Day 3, Aug. 13 Officials with Iowa State Center will have to wait until water in the Scheman Building mechanical room is pumped out to determine the extent of damage to the building and how long it will be before the building reopens. Mark North, director of Iowa State Center, said administrative offices on the ground floor of the Scheman Building took on about three ½ to four feet of water after Tuesday night’s storm. The first and second floors of the building didn’t take on any water. Crews from ServiceMaster have been working to pump out water in the mechanical room and installed an air conditioning line up to the Brunier Art Museum on the second floor. With water in the mechanical room, the Scheman Building has no power, no air conditioning and no
lighting, he said. North said he couldn’t speculate on the cost of damages to the building since facilities staff will have to determine the condition of electrical and air conditioning units submerged in the mechanical room. After the flood of 1993, North said the units in the Scheman Building were replaced with waterproof units, and he hopes it is only a matter of washing and drying them. He said the flood damage is very comparable to the 1993 flood, as water levels were almost the same outside and inside the building. Until the room is dry, it is unclear how long recovery will take. “A lot is just going to depend on what we find and when we get the water out of the mechanical room,” he said. “Worst-case scenario, it could be six to eight weeks.” A berm dike installed around the Maple-Willow-Larch residence halls after the 1993 flood saved the building from water damage Wednesday, and North said the idea of a similar system around the Iowa State Center
wouldn’t be a bad idea. “It’s been discussed a number of times, in reality that’s a question that really needs to be answered by the administration,” he said. “Personally, I would love it because I don’t like doing this.” North said Iowa State Center staff had been in the building and were going through wet items to determine if they were worth salvaging. Some files, he said, will be lost for good. The staff has relocated its office to CY Stephens Auditorium. As for events in Scheman, North said they are currently evaluating the size and number of events scheduled and trying to move them to other places in Ames before canceling them. Fisher Theater, which had no damage, and Stephens Auditorium are currently up and running. Stephens did have some water from a sanitary sewer backup caused by rain Monday night that escalated during the storm Tuesday night. North expects events in Stephens to go forward as planned.
Floodwaters surround a sign Wednesday in front of Hilton Coliseum. Photo: Manfred Brugger/Iowa State Daily
10 | Around Ames | Iowa State Daily
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
AROUND TOWN Floodwaters from the nearby Squaw Creek fill the parking lot of the Furman Aquatic Center on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The pool area remained dry because it was built higher than the lot but remains closed. The city hasn’t said whether it will reopen this summer. Photo: Moriah Smith / Iowa State Daily
SIGNATURE REQUIRED FILE NAME: m0812amesriverlevels
ARTIST: Kelli Morris
REPORTER:
COPY DESK:
COLOR: YES
SIZE: 5C
NO
6C
Flooding in Ames Some key areas affected by flooding of Squaw Creek and the Skunk River:
KEY:
Duff Ave.
Clark Ave.
N
Grand Ave.
Squaw Creek
Road closed
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Skunk River
6th St.
Squaw Creek crested near record level
E. Lincoln Way
Walmart evacuated
S. 4th St.
S. 5th St.
Water tower drained by water main break
Assisted living center evacuated
Mortensen Rd.
S.E. 5th St.
Skunk River crested at record level
Squaw Creek
S.E. 16th St.
30
Skunk River Interstate closed
30
south to County Hwy. 210/330th St.
1/2 mile
Source: City of Ames
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY CHILDCARE
35
Freel Dr.
State St.
Hilton Coliseum flooded
Dayton Ave.
E. 13th St.
Pammel Dr.
University Blvd.
Hyland Ave.
Rising waters wreak havoc across Ames 13th St.
35
Ames river levels
Notable crests 1993 2008 Wed.
After heavy downpours three nights in a row, the Skunk River and Squaw Creek crested Wednesday in the Ames area.
Skunk River at Riverside Rd.
19.2
16.9 19.3
at U.S. Hwy. 30
25.5
24.7 26.7
Squaw Creek at Lincoln Way
18.5
15.9 18.1
Crest: 26.7 feet 10 a.m. Wednesday
27 feet
OLD RECORD: 25.6 IN 1975
25 23 21
Skunk River near Hwy. 30
Crest: 19.3 feet 9:15 a.m. Wednesday
19
RECORD: 20.9 IN 1996
FLOOD STAGE
RECORD: 18.5 IN 1993
17 15 13 11
FLOOD STAGE
Skunk River near Riverside Rd.
Crest: 18.1 feet 8:15 a.m. Wednesday
9 FLOOD STAGE
7 5
Squaw Creek at Lincoln Way
3 1 Sunday
Piles of toys and furniture await disposal Friday, Aug. 13, at the University Community Childcare building. While the building is being restored, 100 children will have to be moved to other locations for childcare. Officials estimate repairs could take at least two months. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Monday
Source: National Weather Service
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday THE REGISTER
CYRIDE
ABOVE: Officials supervised CyRide operations at the Hawthorn Community Center for most of the day Wednesday, Aug. 11. Flooding forced CyRide to evacuate its offices and garage in the early in the morning. Officials had to use paper maps to plan route detours and were unable to update the CyRide website. BELOW: CyRide buses were parked in lot 114, across 13th Street from Frederiksen Court, on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The buses were moved from the CyRide garage due to rising floodwaters. Photos: Katie Joyce/Iowa State Daily
Rugs and floor mats have been laid across the sidewalk to dry off during cleanup at the University Community Childcare building. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Iowa State Daily | Food/Dining | 11
DINING SERVICES
Dining’s down
Floodwaters covered all of the Maple-Willow-Larch parking lot Wednesday, Aug. 11. Barriers were placed around Seasons dining hall to block the water. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
Floods batter local eateries By Devon.OBrien @iowastatedaily.com
Article as published on Flood Day 3, Aug. 13 After floodwaters poured into the streets of Ames, many businesses were out of operation, especially restaurants. With a lack of clean water and unsafe conditions, it has been hard to keep dining services afloat both on and off campus, but things are looking up. ISU Dining plans to open all of the dining centers and convenience stores as scheduled. However, they will be operating slightly differently than normal. ISU Dining will be serving only bottled beverages and some juice made from clean, bottled water. Food and drink will be served with disposable dinnerware to dodge the need for water to wash the dishes. “The dining centers will be opened as scheduled,” said Brittney Rutherford, ISU Dining marketing coordinator. “We will be serving bottled beverages, and any big containers of water we have are filled with clean water.” Off-campus dining is beginning to open once again, with the exception of those restaurants that are flooded and still cleaning up. Other restaurants are opening with new regulations set by the city of Ames. The restaurants may open if they have working toilets, serve only canned or bottled beverages, and use disposable dinnerware. For some, like Hickory Park, this means take-out only. “We are getting much business because the media is saying all restaurants in Ames are closed,” said Tracy Drury, Hickory Park’s front manager. “We are serving carry-out because the city will not let us serve dine-in. But we have 215 employees and it is our duty to try to generate income for them.” Qdoba Mexican Grill, on the other hand, is taking the opportunity to give back to the community in its time of need. The restaurant has opened once again, and is providing coupons for its club members for a $5 meal deal throughout the month of August. In addition, Qdoba is having an event from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Aug. 20 in which 100 percent of sales with be donated to the American Red Cross Lincoln Way Chapter. “I think it is important for us to give back,” said Ted Horan, Qdoba Mexican Grill operating partner. “I don’t understand how someone could watch TV and see what’s going on and not want to help.” After the rush for bottled water, grocery stores are receiving normal business and working a bit differently. “We worked with the health inspector to make sure things were safe,” said Monty Streit, Hy-Vee director. “We have to boil water to wash utensils and hands, like we do for catering and grilling, but indoor now.” Once Hy-Vee restocked its water supply, it donated two semis full of water to help the city provide clean water for residents.
Two residents are lifted across the floodwaters Wednesday, Aug. 11 on South Duff Avenue. Floodwaters were expected to crest that afternoon. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Two residents wade up to Arby’s on South Duff Avenue on Wedneday, Aug. 11. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Target sits isolated by floodwaters Wednesday, Aug. 11. About 2 inches of standing water breached the store, causing the store to close for several days. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily