Essential Estrogen

The Cedar River continues to rise in Cedar Rapids. The level of the river is currently estimated at 28.5 feet and is expected to crest at 32 feet tomorrow. These photos were taken this afternoon in the downtown area.

The Cedar River has surged over all three downtown bridges -- 1st Avenue, 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue. The underground parking area across from Veterans Memorial Coliseum, shown here, was filled with water yesterday afternoon. Now Mays Island is beginning to disappear.

Water pours over the 2nd Avenue Bridge.

The view looking west on 3rd Avenue.

A stranded car near the intersection of 4th Avenue and 3rd Street SE.

The river has also claimed the 3rd Avenue Bridge and the Linn County Courthouse.

The federal building which sits at the corner of 2nd Avenue SE and 1st Street SE also sits in water. There is still evidence of the repairs that crews were making to the roof just days ago.

Mays Island is barely visible.

The remains of the Penford railroad bridge that collapsed this morning.

A closer look at the collapsed railroad bridge.

Volunteers filling sandbags near Green Square Park.

Sandbags protect the TrueNorth building on 5th Ave. This afternoon the flood waters were roughly one block from this location, just beginning to lap into the 5th Avenue parking ramp.

With the heavy rains in downtown today and no place for the extra water to go, several "flash flood" pools formed in downtown intersections that had previously been dry -- such as this pool at the intersection of 2nd Ave. and 6th St.