European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 24, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 8 the stars and stripes Midwest flooding saturday july 24,1993region s air is like a giant sponge Des Moines Iowa a people in pcs Moines delighted in the simple pleasures of washing dishes taking show cars and Flushing toilets after 12 Days with out running water. I3ut the threat of flooding heightened As another series of storms moved through the Midwest. A Quot in a the Guy wearing the Black hat today. I can to Tell you everything is going to be better a forecaster Joe Sullivan of the National a catch service said thurs Day. Quot the air Over the Midwest right now is like a giant sponge just dripping  thunderstorms hit parts of Nebraska Iowa Kansas Missouri and the Dakotas overnight. With More water keeping the Rivers at record Levels engineers worried that hundreds of Miles of soggy levees could collapse. Still the mood was High among some 250,000 people in Des Moines and its suburbs where running water was fully restored by thursday night. Floodwaters knocked out the City a water Plant july ii. It was the longest such ordeal for so big a . City. A Quot dishes. That Wilt be the first thing i do a said Debbie Dodge who had a stack awaiting in the Kitchen. Quot its going to take some doing to get More than 32,000 damaged the red five year old Willie Dodge right helps his 2yearold sister Darcy so she can see the water running into the sink at their Des Moines Iowa Home thursday. Me out of the tub a beamed Michael Bat Lentine. Downtown businesses were allowed to reopen As Well allowing pcs Moines to get Back to work. The water will not be however for three weeks. Safe to drink. Quot we re not Clear Over Thuc quimp yet but Werve certainly made a Dent in our dilemma a mayor John Quot path Dorrian said. Flooding since the Start of june has been blamed for at least 33 deaths and $10 billion in damage in the Midwest. Some 16,000 Square Miles of Farmland Are under water Homes have been Cross estimated. President Clinton declared parts of Kansas a disaster area thursday making it eligible for emergency Aid. But a $3 billion Relief Bill was held up in Congress because of disputes in the House Over How to pay for it. It Wasny to Clear when a vote would be held. The Mississippi River is at a Quot Flat Broad Crest for More than 200 Miles from Grafton iii., to Cape Girardeau mo., and is not expected to change much Over the next few Days said Tom Dietrich a weather service hydrologist in St. Louis. Another Crest moving along the Missouri River is expected to reach Kansas City mo., in two to three Days. Quot what it will do Here we re not sure yet a said Bill Groth a spokesman for the . Army corps of engineers. In Marion county mo., sheriff Dan Campbell said the levee break at West Quincy that closed the last Bridge Over the Mississippi for a 200-mile stretch july 16 May have been sabotage. He said the levee seemed to be in Good condition just before. To party watch on levee Ste. Genevieve to. A each dry Sunset Bors we who refuse to evac i River Village. People share sarcastic laughter. Inspires Celebration by Uati this threatened Toast the strained levee Anc scorning suggestions to flee. The ground that about a dozen Resolute neighbors stand on each dusk is a gravel driveway on third Street. Its just a Block from a temporary levee holding Back a Creek. Authorities Haven to issued orders to evacuate just Many third Streeter took the hint. But not the nightly regulars. They nicknamed this Quot evies place a honouring informal hostess Evelyn Slinkard 40, who arrives each evening in her pickup. Her truck is Laden with soft drinks canned water and a free feast gathered from neighbors and emergency kitchens around town. The pungent smell of Standin water wafts to the driveway which Evie keeps Cool wit two portable fans. Quot the people who did no to bail out All cling together a said Sam Hadel 29, relaxing in one of the folding chairs that Evie arranged around the truck tailgate. Most of these neighbors barely knew each other two weeks ago. But they drifted together with a shared resistance to leaving and common Faith in the River levee. To keep their spirits afloat they turn on a string of Christmas lights when the Sun sets and wave cheerfully to Stone faced National guardsmen who rumble past on trucks loaded with sandbags. A we just know there a no reason to Rush off and where in the world would we go anyway a said Sara Menard 43. Evie started the evening parties by delivering food to her brother John Pierce 19, on third Street. She actually lives a few blocks away but the gathering has become her nightly entertainment. Quot these folks now they re just like family to us a declared evies husband Jimmy Slinkard 35. Quot this is a perfect Way to meet your neighbors Quot said Sara a Coffee shop owner who lives a few Steps from the new levee. They mostly keep the conversation Light covering subjects such As whose sewer lines Are out of order How Sara s refrigerator conked out Quot and of course there a always where they re going to put the water pump do Jour a Sam said. Quot water pump another one a Sara said with disgust. Quot we have Faith in the levee. Besides if everyone left there would be no one left to  salvation amid the flood Randolph county sheriff Ben Picou left holds a priests Robes while a Volunteer clutches a Crucifix and other clothing As water rises in a Church in Kaskas Lda 111. The Rescue came thursday when the Mississippi River broke through a levee forcing residents to flee with Only a few minutes warning. Something fishy going on in the streets Muscatine Iowa a. A along the Mississippi River Fisherman Viggo Christensen casts his nets where Deer raccoons and muskrats once foraged in the Woods. In their place Are Catfish Perch Carp and flatheads. Quot in a fishing in the Trees Quot said Christensen who thursday guided his battered Flat Bottom boat under and around the slapping branches in cold Brown water. Across the flooded Midwest fish Are turning up wherever the Waters go from downtown streets and basements of Davenport to the swamped Yards in St. Louis where kids cast lines off their Back porches. Christensen a 50-year-old commercial Fisherman from Illinois City 111., who Learned his Trade from his father would rather leave his nets in the Middle of the River for Buffalo fish which bring More Money. But the powerful current would tangle up the nets. He would be dry docked had the coast guard not decided nearly two weeks ago to reopen the River to commercial fishermen. The nver had been closed to All traffic since july 2 a though not because the water is contaminated by sewage and other pollutants As it is near Des Moines. Its the raging current. Though the Trees could be used As signposts Christensen relies on his memory to guide him Back. Quot in be been doing this my whole life. Besides you be Only got so Many Clear spots you can go through a he said. He added a with these nets at $100 a crack you done to say a gee where Are they at a a