The wave of high water is moving downstream, starting with Dubuque tomorrow (Saturday).
Hydrologist Matt Wilson says one concern over the weekend is the wind. It may gust up to 45 mph in the Quad Cities area. Emergency managers and others who "walk the levees" should be on the alert for weak areas.
"So you could definitely need to shore things up with sandbag walls, especially if you start to see additional erosion. Anytime you have a large body of water and you push wind over top of it, it can generate waves. Some of the energy is transferred into the water. And so you can have those waves pushed up on shore in ways, particularly along the river. You don't normally have waves crashing into the banks there. You know the waves are usually moving downstream."
The Mississippi River in Dubuque has already surpassed the 3rd highest level set in 1993. It should crest tomorrow morning 7 feet above flood stage.
The crest in Bellevue is expected on Sunday, then on Monday in Fulton, Camanche, and LeClaire.
The Quad Cities' crest at 6.6 feet over flood stage is now forecast to arrive Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning.
Wilson says the water from the Mississippi River continues to back up into the mouth of the Rock River, and the Iowa River at Oakville. He doesn't expect the Rock to come close to reaching minor flood stage at Moline. But the Iowa at Oakville might.
More information is on the Rivers and Lakes page of the Quad Cities National Weather Service website.
