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Flood costs Davenport an estimated $735K

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By Tory Brecht | Friday, May 9, 2008 9:04 PM CDT | () comments

Davenport firefighters hose off mud left behind on Beiderbecke Drive near Modern Woodmen Park. The city estimates it will pay $735,000 in cleanup costs from flooding.(Larry Fisher/Quad-City Times) Buy this Photo

The city of Davenport’s flood cleanup bill is in, and it’s nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.

Overtime for city workers who scrambled to build an earthen dike, filled sandbags, operated pumps and otherwise held the rising river at bay combined with material and cleanup costs total an estimated $735,000, City Administrator Craig Malin said Friday.

“These are still estimates, and exact costs are not available at this time,” Malin said. “Not all costs are yet known, especially as they relate to Credit Island.”

On Friday, Malin toured the island, where golf course fairways, basketball courts, baseball diamonds and tennis courts remain under water.

“The road needs to be fixed here and there, and there is a healthy collection of driftwood, but it’s not a major catastrophe,” he said. “The golf course is a comparatively modest expense, even in the worst case.”

The $735,000 in city flood costs is considerably less than that incurred in 2001, when a major flood cost the city $1.7 million.

Private-sector costs from flooded basements and other damage are estimated at $510,000, Malin added.

The city will pass its damage estimates on to the Scott County Emergency Management coordinator, who will then forward the report to the state for potential federal reimbursement.

However, Dave Miller, the administrator of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, said federal disaster aid may not be on the way.

“Based on the preliminary information we’re receiving from county emergency managers, it seems unlikely that Scott County will qualify for federal assistance,” he said.

Alan Guard, the city’s finance director, said the city will dip into its general fund reserve and other individual department reserves to cover the costs. Currently, the general fund reserve — which is kept for emergencies — stands at $5.8 million, about 10 percent to 15 percent of the general fund.

“This isn’t going to break the bank,” he said.

Davenport, as it typically does, incurred the most costs.

In Moline, total flood costs topped out at $15,000, said Mike Waldron, the city’s municipal services general manager. The bulk of extra manpower and material were used along Ben Butterworth Parkway and River Drive, he said.

“We have to man our pumps, and we sandbag some manholes, and that’s about it,” he said, adding that the parkway looks to be in good shape despite being under water for a bit more than one week.

Bettendorf officials said the city had no flood repair costs.

Tory Brecht can be contacted at (563) 383-2329 or tbrecht@qctimes.com.

River Drive in Moline now open

Cleanup efforts along Moline’s River Drive are now complete and the road reopened Friday.

City crews are continuing the cleanup of Ben Butterworth Parkway. The bike path and trail are currently open, however outdoor activities along the parkway are not advised until the cleanup is complete, city officials said.