The Mississippi River is dropping below flood stage along many of Iowa’s riverfront cities after nearly three months of record highs caused by melting snow and torrential rain.
The National Weather Service says the river dropped below flood stage at Guttenberg, Iowa, early Tuesday, and was more than a half-foot (0.15 meter) under flood stage Thursday morning at one Dubuque gauge. The weather service says the river’s been above flood stage in Dubuque for a record 85 days, breaking the old mark of 34 days set in 2011.
The river remains around 2.5 feet (three-quarters of a meter) above flood stage at Davenport, where floodwaters surged into downtown after a barrier failed April 30.
Missouri River levels also have dropped but are expected to remain high for much of the summer.
