DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Garden Addition neighborhood in southwest Davenport has been on high alert since yesterday, when residents were warned of potental severe flooding.
The Black Hawk Creek at S. Concord Street was inches away from submerging the bridge, the flood levees the city raised on both side of the creek forming a last defense for this neighborhood.
"This place has become very busy last night," said Lori Steele who has been renting a house in the Garden Addition for the past three years.
"All day long, we've seen a lot of activity here, a lot of city crews, police and fire."
Steele said city crews and first responders have been friendly and informative.
"We got a note on the door (Wednesday)," she said. "If something would happen, we would need to go to safety. They would sound an alarm like a horn and a firetruck would go through and we’d meet at Hy-Vee for further instructions."
Steele said her bags are packed, and her two cats, Bella and Jampa, ready to go.
Crews with the city of Davenport were seen checking on pumps, poking the soil on the flood berms for soft spots. Police and fire crew were seen driving through the neighboorhood every few minutes.
"When I saw the increased activity, I thought, 'Uh oh, that can’t be good.' But knowing they're here and they’re on top of it makes me feel better," she said.
A few blocks south, Sears Seating has its manufacturing plant just on the other side the banks of Black Hawk Creek. The creek had seeped into its parking lot.
Sears workers laid new sandbags down just before the Mississippi broke its own record shortly after noon.
But Lovejoy said he felt confident, the protections are better than ever in Davenport history.
"At this point, everything seems to be holding," he said. He said the flood protection system the city has built is helping to keep the flooding in Garden Addition at bay.
Steele echoed that sentiment
"I feel pretty confident. When I feel the confidence from the city then I feel okay," she said.
