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The 2007 Midwest flooding was a major flooding event that occurred in the Midwestern United States in the third week of August 2007. While Hurricane Dean was affecting the Yucatan Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico, a persistent storm system hung over the Midwest for several days, causing repeated flash flooding in the U.S. states of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Cool Canadian air clashed with large quantities of warm moist air from the gulf, producing torrential rains along a stationary front. Twenty-six deaths across the central United States have been attributed to the resulting flooding, including several in Oklahoma and Texas in unrelated flooding as a result of Tropical Storm Erin.^[1][2]

Meteorological synopsis

On Saturday August 18 a warm front pushed northward into Iowa and Illinois, where it became stationary. Warm, moist air pushing over the front provided the necessary moisture to fuel showers and thunderstorms, which moved in a west to east training fashion. Some parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa saw moderate to heavy rain for nearly a full day before the activity finally cleared out. Additional thunderstorms formed over these areas on Sunday August 19, exacerbating the flooding problems.^[3] Though the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin did not directly impact these areas, moisture from Erin streamed northward, enhancing the thunderstorm activity.^[4]

The stationary front and associated energy then extended eastward through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio on August 19 and August 20. Similarly, the front was the focus for thunderstorm development, and the precipitation continued moving over the same areas, leading to extended periods of heavy rainfall. As of August 25, flood watches remain in effect from Iowa to Ohio.^[5]

Runoff from the heavy rain is causing river flooding to the south of the affected areas. The Mississippi River in Missouri and Illinois is expected to rise up to 5 feet (1.5 m) above flood stage, peaking sometime during Labor Day weekend.^[6]

Minnesota

A large swath of heavy rain fell across most of southern Minnesota during Saturday August 18 and Sunday August 19, with the highest totals in the far southeast counties of the state. Twenty-four hour rainfall totals of 15.10 inches (384 mm) were recorded in Hokah, which easily broke the old state record of 10.84 inches (275 mm) for a twenty-four hour period. An unofficial twenty-four hour total of over 17 inches (432 mm) was recorded near Caledonia. During the entire weekend rainfall event, parts or all of 28 counties in Minnesota received at least 4 inches (102 mm) of rain. The highest total for the entire event was 18.17 inches (462 mm) near La Crescent.^[7]

The heavy rains, aided by the rolling hills of southeast Minnesota caused several flash floods. The towns of Stockton, Houston, Elba and portions of Winona, on the Mississippi River, were evacuated. Citizens were evacuated to St. Mary's College in Winona, Lewiston and Caledonia, Minnesota. Governor Tim Pawlenty ordered 240 National Guard soldiers to help and declared a state of emergency in six counties. The Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers guarded communities that were cleared out after the flooding early August 19. The Army Corps of Engineers opened up the floodgates on the rising Root River to release some of the water creating pressure on the dike in Houston.^[8] State Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes stated after initial flooding, "This is the worst disaster that's hit southeast Minnesota in a lifetime." ^[9] Four thousand two hundred homes were damaged or destroyed in the state, and seven deaths have been reported.^[2] Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties were declared federal disaster areas, and Olmsted, Steele and Wabasha counties have become eligible for federal assistance.^[10]

High flood waters on the Middle Branch of the Whitewater River, which runs through Whitewater State Park destroyed three bridges and damaged campgrounds, bathhouses, a group dining hall, and water and sewer systems in the park. About 500 campers were staying in Whitewater State Park at the time.^[11] The park was closed to the public on August 20, 2007 for an indefinite period of time.^[12] E. coli bacteria was found in the Rushford's water supply and residents were urged not to use it until the city's water system could be flushed.^[13]

Amtrak train service between Minneapolis and Chicago, Illinois was shut down for a week because of damage to the tracks. Passengers were bussed between the two until repairs could be made.^[14] Initial assessments put total flood related damages for Minnesota in excess of $26 million.^[13]

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, Governor Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency on August 20 in three counties in the southwest corner of his state after weekend rain dropped 10–12 inches (254–305 mm).^[15] More than 200 homes were flooded in the Crawford County communities of Gays Mills and Soldiers Grove, each with about 600 to 640 residents. A mudslide pushed one house onto state Highway 35 in Vernon County.^[16] Approximately $48 million in damages were reported in 12 Wisconsin counties.^[17]

In Madison a mother and daughter waiting for a Madison Metro bus were electrocuted when lightning struck a power line and caused it to fall onto a flooded street in which they were standing, while another child was injured. A passenger on the bus was killed, and the driver was injured, both having been shocked after coming out of the bus to help.^[18]

Prior to this torrential rain and flooding event, much of the state was in a moderate to severe drought that had persisted until mid-August. Although the southern half of the state received abundant precipitation, an upper-level high pressure ridge centered in Quebec caused a cut-off of precipitation to the north, leaving much of northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan with continued drought conditions.^[19]

Ohio

The Blanchard River was 7.5 feet (2 m) above flood level in Findlay, the highest since 1913, while Bucyrus received 9 inches (229 mm) of rain. Inmates were moved from a Hancock County jail and several hundred others were evacuated from their homes in Crawford County.^[2] A 92-year-old man drowned trying to get to safety after his car became trapped in floodwater near Findlay. ^[20] The river also reached to 8.7 feet (3 m) above flood level in Ottawa, Ohio.^[21]

Oklahoma

Several cities including El Reno and Kingfisher experienced devastating floods, with Kingfisher being particularly hard hit. Much of Kingfisher was underwater for several days, and major damage was caused to homes and businesses.^{[citation needed]} Three people were killed, when their vehicle was swept from the road near Carnegie.^{[citation needed]} The remnants of tropical storm Erin remained very powerful and gained strength as it crossed over west-central Oklahoma. It was described by some weathercasters as an "Inland Hurricane", with a defined eye-wall, and dumping massive amounts of rain on the central part of the state, and is tracked east.^[22][23][24]

Iowa

The Des Moines River near Fort Dodge crested at 4 feet (1.2 m) above flood stage necessitating the evacuation of three subdivisions.^[2] In Ottumwa, storm sewers backed up into the city's water treatment plant, shutting four pumps down and leaving the entire town without adequate drinking water.^[25] This was caused by heavy rainfall of over 12 inches (304.8 mm) that fell in southeast Iowa during the night of August 23 - August 24.^[26]

Illinois

The city of Rockford, Illinois was deluged in the weeks preceding the major flooding during the third week of August. On August 7, 2007, Rockford was hit by between 5–7 inches (127–178 mm) of rain. Many streets, including main thoroughfares, were flooded. There was also fear that the Alpine Dam might break.^[27][28] The following day, Governor Rod Blagojevich declared both Rockford and Winnebago County a state disaster area. With this declaration, he dispatched both the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to assist the city. Debris removal, law enforcement, damage assessment, and other duties were offered by the governor.^[28]

About two weeks later, following quick, violent storms on August 23, Governor Rod Blagojevich declared McHenry, Lake, Cook and Kane counties disaster areas. Though not affected by flooding as it was on August 7, the city of Rockford received 1.23 inches (31 mm) of rain setting an all time record for Rockford's wettest month in recorded climate data history with 13.82 inches (351 mm) of rain.^[29] The storm shut down airports (including O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport), uprooted trees and left over 300,000 residents in northern Illinois without power, some for several days.^[30] It also caused flooding on streets and major expressways. Wind gusts registered as high as 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) in the area, with the high being reported in Manhattan.^[31] Rainfall totals in Boone and LaSalle Counties topped 1987 records.^[32] Flooding across northern Illinois was widespread in the aftermath of the storms. Along the Rock River in Byron the river reached moderate flood stage on August 24; moderate stage is above 14 feet.^[33] Officials in Ogle County recommended people in low lying areas along the Rock River, and Killbuck Creek near Lindenwood evacuate to higher ground.^[32] Downstream, in Lee County at Dixon, the river had not reached flood stage as off August 25, though it continued to rise.^[34]

Other rivers and streams in the Rock River valley experienced major to moderate flooding as well. The Kishwaukee River at Perryville crested at 17.57 feet, more than five feet above flood stage. The same river, in Belvidere, rose above flood stage on as well.^[35] After 4.85 inches (123 mm) of rain on August 23 and 24 in DeKalb County, at DeKalb, the Kishwaukee rose to its highest level since 1983 and its second highest level in recorded history.^[36] Numerous roads and bridges were closed and the cities of DeKalb and Sycamore declared local emergencies, though DeKalb County was not included in Blagojevich's initial disaster declaration.^[36] In DeKalb and Sycamore about 600 residents were displaced from their homes and the DeKalb campus of Northern Illinois University was closed because of the flood.^[37]

The Fox River at Dayton crested after it rose to more than 17 feet, over five feet above the river's flood stage.^[38] At Starved Rock State Park parking lots were closed due to the level of the Illinois River which stood at 26.5 feet on August 25, 6.5 feet above its flood stage.^[39] At Plano, Illinois the Fox rose up around the historic Farnsworth House, a modern architecture masterpiece designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Preservationists utilized a boat in an attempt to save the home and its furnishings, which were devastated by high water in 1996.^[40]

Indiana

In Dyer, Indiana, southeast of Chicago, authorities evacuated 70 patients from St. Margaret Mercy Hospital after a waters from a nearby creek started seeping into the hospital.^[41] Also in northwest Indiana a section of Interstate 80/94 was closed on August 24 due to flooding on the roadway