In response to record flooding of the Mississippi River in 2019, a study will soon launch on how to best protect the Water Pollution Control Plant in Davenport, Iowa.
The spring flood resulted in the river at the Quad Cities rising to a level of 22.7 ft, which is 7.7 ft over flood stage, according to Radio Iowa.
“Because it’s never happened, we couldn’t say for sure, but with what we were seeing as far as flows into the plant and how the motors and things were all reacting, that’s where we felt somewhere between 24 and 25 would be our uh-oh moment” said Nicole Gleason, Davenport’s Public Works director.
The plant serves approximately 170,000 people in Davenport, Bettendorf, Riverdale and Panorama Park. An engineering firm will come up with a list of projects and projected costs to help the city decide how to pay for them, reported Radio Iowa.
“Having the plant operational impacts all citizens, not just the people directly in the flood plain,” said Gleason to Radio Iowa. “We believe there would be a good chance of receiving grant money ahead of some of the other projects that may happen long-term.”
The study will take about six months to complete and will cost $110,000. When water rose to dangerously high levels, employees lived in the plant for about nine days, sleeping on cots and working 12 hour shifts, reported Iowa Public Radio.
Most local governments in the Quad Cities are waiting for checks from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help pay for flood expenses, reported WVIK.
Of the 15 biggest floods in Davenport's history, seven have occurred since 2008, according to Des Moines Register.
Davenport is in the process of working on priorities identified by the mayor's Flood Task Force, with protection of the plant at the top of the list.