DAVENPORT, Iowa- In an open letter to residents, City Administrator Corri Spiegel explains the HESCO barrier breach.
The 3-page letter is addressed directly to residents and businesses of Davenport, in it, there are sections titled What We Know, What We Do Not Know, and The Road Ahead.
In the letter, Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel explains what she says she knows, which is that the HESCO barrier did not break because the road collapsed underneath.
She also says in the letter that she knows the water did not go over the barrier.
Spiegel also explains there is a lot of misinformation circulating, but we won't know exactly what caused that barrier to fail until the city, Army Corps Of Engineers and the HESCO representatives complete their full investigation.
As to why the city didn't reinforce the barrier and build it higher, the letter says public works crews couldn't responsibly and safely add a second layer before the breach.
Since the report was released WQAD reached out to several business owners still cleaning up from the flood.
One of them tells us it's the city's obligation to protect businesses, especially when they are encouraged to build in Downtown Davenport.
Spiegel goes on to talk about future flood fighting and says the plan needs to be re-evaluated.
She questions what needs to be protected, what areas should be preserved for flooding, and how future improvements will be funded.
