March 29, 2024
Dam breaks, floods inundate northeast Iowa
MANCHESTER, IA - Iowa flooding continued as the rain-swollen Maquoketa River tore through a 300-foot section of the Lake Delhi dam Saturday, letting loose a surge of floodwaters that wiped out several homes and inundated farmland downstream.

The river broke through the 55-foot-tall dam, peeling away big sections of Delaware County Road X31 that runs atop the earthen structure.

The dam's release gates couldn't keep up with the rising lake level, and water cascaded over the top of the dam.

A torrent of river water raged through the breached dam, destroying at least five homes in Delhi, a resort community of about 900 at the dam's base.

About 1,200 people were voluntarily evacuated from Delhi to Monticello, officials said.

As much as 12 inches drenched portions of northeast Iowa Thursday night through Friday morning. The downpour pushed both the Maquoketa and the Wapsipinicon rivers to record levels. (Source: Des Moines Register)
Story Date: July 26, 2010
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