Water Quickly Disappearing From Eastern Iowa Rivers

By Mark Carlson, Reporter

TheHighway 6 bridge over the Cedar River in Johnson County on Friday, August 3, 2012. (Mark W. Carlson/KCRG-The Gazette)

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Aug 3, 2012 at 5:48 PM CDT

Story Updated: Aug 3, 2012 at 7:35 PM CDT

JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa - According to gauges on the Cedar River, very little rain has fallen along the banks of one of Iowa's biggest rivers.

Data from state climatologist Harry Hillaker shows that since June 30, one gauge along the Cedar River has only measured 0.17 inches of rain. The gauge, about three miles northeast of Conesville, is likely near the heart of the driest spot in eastern Iowa over the past month.

Four to five inches of rain during the month of July is considered normal in Iowa.

"You could probably walk all the way across (the river) without getting your knees wet," said Aaron Campbell an employee with the Muscatine County Conservation Department. "It's as low as I've ever seen it."

Despite the low river levels, the Department of Natural Resources is warning people to not casually try and cross the rivers for fun. "They're still dangerous, because you never know what's going on under the water," said Joe Wilkinson of the Iowa DNR. "We continue to urge people to use Iowas resources responsibly."

On Thursday a new drought map showed that much of eastern Iowa now faces extreme drought conditions.

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