New projections show the water will not go over the spillway at the Coralville Dam, but the Army Corps of Engineers is dealing with a flood of people who want to see the high water. The Corps estimates there a three to four times more spectators at the dam than they’d see on a normal day, and they have decided to shut down the area at 10 o’clock tonight.
Park Ranger Terry Escher says they have a lot of extra things to do when there’s high water, and the extra people makes it tougher on them to do their jobs. “All the traffic and pedestrians just make it too hazardous for everybody involved,” according to Escher.
The Corps will be barricading the road that runs across the dam on the east and west side. No vehicles or people will be allowed on that section of road, or the nearby spillway.
“It’s just better for everybody, to keep everybody out,” Escher said. Though not as close, there will be a couple viewing areas still open to the public, like the Visitor Center on the east side of the dam and the West Overlook Dump Station.
You can also check out water levels with an online web cam at www.coralvillelake.org.
By Forrest Saunders, KCRG, TV, Cedar Rapids