CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — On June 13, 2008, the Cedar River crested to a historic 31.12 feet, 11 feet higher than the river had gone before. Seventeen years later, Cedar Rapids is more than a quarter done with implementing flood control protections, like flood walls.
Steve Shriver is one of the founding members of the New Bohemia District as a business owner. He said his building was blocked off by the National Guard during the height of the floods.
“Once we knew the severity of it, it was obvious how extreme it was. I mean, the water was higher than you could ever imagine it,” Shriver said. “This water was moving at a super-fast pace and just destroyed the city. It broke windows, and ATM machines, cars, and all my company’s inventory was just floating downstream.”…