The Lake Manawa State Park campground has been closed through August due to safety concerns that the levee holding the Missouri River back will not withstand the pressure over the expected eight weeks of flooding.  The park will remain open for day use until there is direct evidence the levee will not hold. Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau says “If the levee were to breech, there would be little time to evacuate the campers so we decided to take the cautious approach and close the campground,” said.  

Szcodronski said the DNR is in the process of notifying campers holding the 125 reservations at Lake Manawa with arrivals between Tuesday and Aug. 31 of its closure and refunding their money.  Lake Manawa has 36 electric and 35 non electric campsites. Lake Manawa is the third state park that will be impacted by the Missouri River.  The DNR has closed Wilson Island, also in Pottawattamie County, and Lewis and Clark State Park in Monona County. Nearby state parks Waubonsie, Viking Lake, Lake Anita, Prairie Rose, Stone and Black Hawk will likely see increases in attendance due to the park closures. 

Szcodronski said “The domino effect will be that other nearby parks will likely absorb campers who would normally be going to one of the closed parks that will in turn make it more difficult to find a campsite for the rest of this summer and likely into 2012.  Campers should also consider one of our fine county parks in the area.” 

Szcodronski said the three popular parks draw about 66,000 campers per year.  Lake Manawa State Park hosts an estimated 1.5 million park visits per year, the highest total in the Iowa state park system.

Authorities in Page County say a vehicle reported stolen this morning in Page County was found just before 1-p.m. today at 180th and F Avenue, in Montgomery County. The car, a white 2000 Buick Regal, was stolen from a residence on Highway 48 between Shenandoah and Essex sometime between 9:30-p.m. Monday and 6:30-a.m today (Tuesday).

The incident remains under investigation.

Officials with the Atlantic YMCA say swimming lessons at the Sunnyside Pool have been moved to the Y for today.

Public hearings will be held during the Atlantic City Council meeting Wednesday evening, with regard to a proposed Development and Minimum Assessment Agreement between the City and Boulders Inn and Suites, and a proposed internal advance and loan to fund a $125,000 incentive grant for the company, to be funded through the City‘s Economic Development Fund.

City Administrator Doug Harris will report to the Council Wednesday, that negotiations have been completed, and the Finance Committee has reviewed the package. The Committee will recommend the Council approve both agreements, which have been signed by Boulders’ officials after more than a year’s delay.

Under the agreements, the City would provider Boulders’ developers with a $125,000 up-front grant, and a total of $41,000 in tax rebates, for a total incentive package of $166,000, which is $59,000 less than what was initially offered in May, 2010. Because the City had incurred additional legal costs associated with the agreement, the total price tag comes to $247,464, which is slightly less than what was offered last May, but the Tax Increment Financing savings to the City will be a little more than $48,000.

Harris says Boulders has agreed to a minimum taxable value, which protects the City against a potential State imposed commercial property assessment rollback, until 2022. The tax rebates, according to Harris, will be $41,000, spread over nine-years, rather than $100,000, spread over a period of four-years. He says the City will also capture the incremental increase in the value on the land, which had increased by over $60,000, due to its conversion from agricultural to commercial zoning.

Harris says the changes will enable the City to capture over half the TIF revenues generated from the project, which will enable Atlantic to fund much needed street improvements.

Following the public hearings, Wednesday, the City Council will act on resolutions approving the agreements and internal advance for the incentives package. Their meeting at City Hall, begins at 5:30-p.m.

Officials in Council Bluffs say a flood evacuation plan is in-place for about half of Council Bluffs, with a three-tier warning system ready to tell residents when to prepare a bag to flee and when to leave their homes.

At a press conference Monday, officials said they hope the plan, which covers up to 30,000 people, will never be needed, that the levees along the swollen Missouri River will hold for the next two-plus months, and that homes and businesses in western Council Bluffs will remain dry.

Council Bluffs’ three-tier warnings will be sent out through local media outlets and National Weather Service alerts.

A Level 1 Alert means a slowly developing flood event is in the area, and the city recommends residents prepare to leave, including packing a bag.

A Level 2 Alert means a levee is failing and residents are urged to leave.

And, a Level 3 Alert indicated dangerous flooding is on the way. A mandatory evacuation is now in effect. Tornado sirens will sound.

The city has more than 60 buses available to help. People who need transportation are urged to limit their personal belongings to one bag and two pets. Pets must be leashed and in a carrier. Any residents who may need help evacuating in the event of a Level 3 Alert, are urged to call the city at 712-328-4672.

In addition to the media and National Weather Service broadcasts, residents can sign up for automated telephone calls through the city of Council Bluff’s “Code Red” program. Sign-up is available on the city’s website. Those without computers can call 712-328-4672 to register for the calls.

HAMBURG, Iowa (AP) – Crews are trying to build up a protective wall to keep floodwaters from reaching Hamburg, after the swollen Missouri River punched a massive hole in the main levee.

The river ruptured two levees in northwest Missouri on Monday, sending torrents of water over rural farmland toward Hamburg, and a Missouri resort community.

Water spilling through a nearly 300-foot hole in a levee a few miles from Hamburg is expected to reach the town by Tuesday. Floodwaters could top a secondary levee built to protect the town by Wednesday.

The Army Corps of Engineers says crews are working to increase the wall’s height by 3 feet. If it breaks, parts of Hamburg could be under as much as 10 feet of standing water.