Pg 619

         RISE AND FALL OF IOWA AND CEDAR RIVERS. On Saturday, May 31, 1851, both the Iowa and Cedar Rivers were flooding the country, the water reaching from the sand banks at Columbus Junction to the bluffs on the other side, near the main portion of Fredonia. The water was twenty feet above low water mark at Todd’s ferry, and the steamers were obliged to land at the bluffs near the residence of David Flack. The same year Long Creek was sixteen feet above low water mark and Short Creek had reached about the same height. In 1858 there was another notable flood, at which time the water was sixteen feet above low water mark at Todd’s ferry in the Iowa River on Sunday, June 6. Rain fell almost continuously from April 30 to May 20. Spring wheat and oats were sown after the latter date, and corn, which was planted as late as June 24, matured. On Monday, May 5, 1866, the Iowa River was eight feet above low water mark at Todd’s ferry; on Saturday, April 16, 1876, was ten feet above low water mark at the same place, and April 2, 1881, the water was fourteen feet above low water mark.