Worried about Mosquito Flats & Idlewyld in Iowa City

I have a good friend who lives in Mosquito Flats, and I worry about her, her family, and her house every time it rains and every time there's a new weather alert on my smartphone, which is about every 15 seconds, or so it seems. So many folks in Mosquito Flats accepted a city buyout or sold their properties to someone else, but not these brave souls. They are not the only ones who decided to stay, and their kids do have the advantage of having lots of room to play outside, cheek by jowl with City Park and a lot of empty lots.

Our street, Sterling Drive, was flooded out in that big storm followed by yet another big thunderstorm, followed by yet another a week ago. Jim, my husband, sat in his easy chair by the front window in the living room and reported that people would pause in their vehicles and think about entering our street from the west side, then turn around and go north, instead.

The flooded street was dry by the next day, but you could tell that Sterling Drive, Dover Street, and Bradford Drive were flooded by all of the sand washed downstream to the low point where our neighborhood lies in southeast Iowa City.

Lake Conzemius recreated itself across our entire backyard and even into neighbors' yards. The water crept toward our house but didn't reach it because ultimately the water from Lake Conzemius flows out to Dover Street between two houses to the south of us.

To reassure me, Jim reminded me of how high the drop-off was when I had the old 8' x 10' deck, original with the house when it was built, removed before someone put a leg through the structure. So far, so good. No water has ever come into our house. I wouldn't see it right away anyhow, because I replaced the old deck with one twice its size. (It was designed for cats, plants, grandchildren, family, and friends, not necessarily in that order.)

What will happen to the summer camp at Parkview Church now that Dubuque Street is closed past the bridge near Mayflower Dorm? Are Idlewyld residents wrong to be sandbagging just in case? I don't think so. 

The big rain system overhead right now, which thankfully held off on the Fourth of July, has created a steady, drizzling rain so far today, Saturday, July 5th. That can't possibly be helping to keep the Coralville Reservoir from staying below its spillway.