DAVENPORT, Iowa-- The Davenport mayor, aldermen and other leaders say it's time to start updating the city's flood plan as the Mississippi River recedes. The first step is creating a new task force.
"There is a discussion on what we protect, how we protect moving forward," Alderman Mike Matson says. "We need to have the discussion with a lot of partners as soon as we can so we don't let this get away from us. We need to do this now."
The task force will include people who live, work and visit the riverfront in downtown Davenport.
"We realize that we're gonna live with the river," Alderman Rich Clewell says. "We don't want big floodwalls here. We're gonna live with the river."
During a city meeting Tuesday, May 4, elected and city officials discussed the options for flood mitigation, including green spaces, barriers, and wetlands.
"I have ideas," Maton says. "You probably have ideas. You can walk down the street. Let's hear those ideas. Let's get those people together."
Part of updating the city's comprehensive flood plan includes assessing the breached floodwall on Pershing Avenue. The Army Corps of Engineers will finish assessing the flood wall breach once the Mississippi has receded more.
"We will come back stronger and be better because of this 2019 flood," Alderman Kyle Gripp says. "It's just kind of hard to see that right now because we're in the thick of it."