Floods of '93 Timeline in West Des Moines

The month of July 20 years ago was not as dry as it is now. A wet year in 1992 was followed by a wet spring.

Then areas in northwest Iowa upstream along the Raccoon River received 9 inches of rain in a day. Lakes and rivers were already full, and the swollen Raccoon breached its banks and manmade levees, pouring into West Des Moines homes, businesses and streets.

The devastation continued as the Raccoon combined with the equally full Des Moines River to swamp downtown Des Moines, even knocking out that city's water supply.

West Des Moines residents received help from others around the metro as they sandbagged to keep their water treatment plant from also being swallowed by the Raccoon River.

They were successful, and in the following weeks, months and years, the Valley Junction business district and neighborhood were rebuilt with millions of dollars in aid -- and the sweat and labor of hundreds. Today it's a district of fun and quirky shops and restaurants that is about to host thousands of extra visitors when RAGBRAI rolls through on July 23 -- with no storm clouds on the horizon.