9:00am Update - The river is running at bank-full stage with some fluctuations in level possible through the weekend.
Thanks to a News 8 viewer inquiring about a water-level rise along the Rock River in Moline around 4:30 this morning. Inspecting the real-time river level gauge on the I-74 bridge over the Rock River, you can see the dramatic rise. Before 8pm Thursday, the level of the river was steady at 9.4 feet. But now it has risen up to 11.36 feet as of 5:30am.
It has dipped, then risen again in the past few hours. This indicates that the ice jam has shifted a little bit. Due to intensely cold air, the ice jam may continue to grow today. This could cause the river level to rise further...possibly into the 12-13 foot range. At that level, some homes could be affected on Shore Drive.
At 12 feet, the river is in minor flood stage. Water affects residences near the 27th Street bridge. Water is over portions of 60th St south of Green Valley Sports Complex and portions of 56th St along the north side of the river. At 12.5 feet, water affects some residences in the lower Friendship Farm area. 60th St is under water south of the Green Valley Sports Complex. 56th St along the north side of the river is under water.
A word of warning: with bitterly cold temperatures, please be very careful around ice jam flooding as it is especially dangerous.
-Meteorologist Eric Sorensen
