IOWA WEATHER AND CROP REPORT 577 



enbankments from undermining. A high northwest wind on the 19th, 

 when the river was within five inches of its maximum stage, added to 

 the difficulties of the railroads and others in preventing the wearing away 

 of dikes. 



Many families living in the lowlands on both sides of the river were 

 temporarily driven from their homes, and a much larger number had 

 flooded basements. At least 14 cottages, situated on the islands in the 

 vicinity of Dubuque and used as summer residences, were carried away 

 by the flood waters in conjunction with the high wind on the 19th. 



On April 12th, nine days before the crest of the flood reached Dubuque, 

 flood warnings were issued for the entire district from below La Crosse 

 to Dubuque. On April 17th definite forecasts of maximum stages were 

 made, as follows: Lansing, 17.0 feet; Prairie du Chien, 19.5 feet; Dubuque, 

 21.0 feet. Warnings were distributed by mail to all towns in the district, 

 an those having property subject to overflow in general did whatever 

 could be done to remove or protect it, so that the preventable loss was 

 slight. 



Statistics of Money Loss by Flood in the Mississippi River, Dubuque 

 River District, April, 1922. 



Losses to tangible property that can only be restored by the 

 outlay of cash, includes loss to buildings, factories, municipal 



plants, highways and bridges $68,000 



Losses to railroads, principally expenditures in protecting and 



restoring tracks and roadbeds 35,000 



Loss of crops ' 10,000 



Loss of prospective crops 3,500 



Loss of live stock or other movable property 4,000 



Loss due to suspension of business 20,000 



Total losses reported $140,500 



Money value of property saved by warnings, as reported 154,000 



MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOOD 



From below Dubuque to Muscatine, April, 1922. 



By Andrew M. Hamick, Meteorologist. 



Weather Bureau Office, Davenport, Iowa, May, 20, 1922. 



During the first 21 days of April, 1922, rain fell on some part of the 

 watershed of the Mississippi River from Muscatine northward on every 

 day but three. The frequent rains, while not very heavy, except on the 

 10th and 16th, fell on a well-saturated soil and the run-off was above 

 normal. 



As an index of the general situation, note the conditions at Davenport: 

 The precipitation during the month of March was 3.40 inches, 1.19 inches 

 above normal. There were 21 cloudly days during the month, and con- 

 sequently little evaporation. The percentage of possible sunshine was 42, 

 16 per cent below the normal for March. 



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