PLEASANT VALLEY, Iowa — The Mississippi River hit the 18-foot mark Monday afternoon, already causing problems for Pleasant Valley residents. But the flooding is not the only headache they are dealing with right now.
Sunday morning, some residents along the river were informed by an automated message from MidAmerican that their gas would be getting shut off once their gas meter becomes submerged.
The water in this area off 179th Street is already over 2 feet deep, and residents tell News 8 that it's expected to rise another three feet in the coming days.
News 8 talked to Betzy McLeland and her husband, Gordon, who have seen it all when it comes to floods.
"We have gone through every flood and never had our gas or electricity turned off," McLeland said. "With only a few hours' notice, we were told that things have changed. We were not told why they had changed, or when they would be changing, but they just said your gas will be shut off. And that didn't really seem to sit well with us," she added.
Once the gas is turned off, McLeland and her husband can only heat their home with a wood-burning oven, something their 91-year-old neighbor doesn't have.
"The only way you would get her out is by boat, and that would not be an easy task," McLeland said. "And without heat, I would guess she would be pretty uncomfortable staying in her home during these evening hours."
Their two options are either hunker down or find a different place to stay. McLeland said their gas meter will be submerged for at least a couple of weeks, so it's not like they would only be staying in a hotel for a night or two.
What's confusing about this situation is the gas meter is airtight. In 2019 when the flood water in this area got to 5 feet high, MidAmerican told everyone in this neighborhood to leave their gas on at that they were completely safe.
According to MidAmerican, these are not new national guidelines, simply new MidAmerican protocols. News 8 reached out to MidAmerican, and they released a statement saying in part:
"In the Pleasant Valley area, flood water became a threat faster than forecast models projected. After our crews visually surveyed the area on Sunday, for safety reasons they determined it was necessary to turn off gas service to five customers. Our number-one priority is to protect the safety of our customers and the public."