Flood forecast improves for Central Iowa

For a change of pace, flooding forecasts have been downgraded for parts of central Iowa. The National Weather Service forecast that came out Thursday predicted the Raccoon River would crest in Perry at a record height of 24-feet. That’d be 11-feet over flood stage. Rain to the north wasn’t as heavy as first thought though, so the crest is now only expected at five-feet over flood stage. It’s a big relief to Jim McElvogue, director of Perry’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. McElvogue says the river is expected to crest at 18 feet, and they are confident they will have it under control.The crest in Perry should come Saturday around noon at 18-feet. Flood stage is 13-feet. McElvogue says the original forecast of 24-feet set an emergency sandbagging operation into motion in the town of about seven thousand. He says that first whopper forecast would’ve meant serious trouble for Perry. Dallas County Emergency Management Director Barry Halling says the impact of this flood should be “minimal” with a park and some agricultural areas likely being all that will go underwater.