Flood Forces Cancellation

January 26, 2008

Merchants Bonding had over 400 guests planning to attend its 75th Anniversary celebration when Mother Nature called it off.

The floods of 2008 in Des Moines, Iowa shut down several downtown bridges and effectively cancelled the 75th Anniversary Open House Merchants Bonding Company had planned for that same weekend.   Merchants' building is situated behind flood walls and gates designed to keep out over 30 feet of water, but the authorities called for a voluntary evacuation of certain areas of downtown, just to play it safe.

The photos tell the story.  The view from Merchants Bonding shows the rising flood waters of the worst flooding since 1993.  Below is the view from our office windows to the intersection in front of our building.  The authorities closed the protective flood gates and slowly the waters swelled to a crest of more than 33 feet.