Recently reopened Great River Brewery braces for potential flooding

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Recent heavy rains up north have caused the Mississippi River levels to rise once again, and the city is bracing for potential flooding.

This situation is particularly concerning for local businesses, including Great River Brewery, which recently reopened after being forced to close due to devastating floods in 2019.

Three weeks after celebrating their grand reopening, Great River Brewery is now facing the possibility of another flood. Crews from the city are actively working on flood preparations, following the activation of the city’s flood plan. Downtown businesses are on high alert, preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.

The owner of Great River Brewery, Scott Florence shared his thoughts on the situation, highlighting the challenges posed by road closures and construction more than the rising water levels themselves.

“The biggest impact is not the water levels, but the inconvenience caused by road closures and construction.”

Reflecting on the 2019 flood, he explained the prolonged impact it had on the brewery.

“It was a snow melt flood versus a rainstorm flood. The river was high for a very long time. And then not only was the river high for a long time, it was overcast and dark, and there were local storms. So, you had this dread of seeing this wall of water just right outside your business.”

Despite the concerns, the brewery is better prepared this time.

“Oh, we are ready! We got the hoses, we got the waiters, we got the beer up off the side, we’ll be ready to go,” said Florence.

He also mentioned the improvements made to the brewery’s infrastructure to mitigate future flooding risks.

“We had to make sure that all of our electrical is higher, our walls are made with metal studs instead of wood, which is what it was before, and we have a better flood mitigation plan in place.”

Florence emphasized that the primary concern is the potential impact on customer turnout.

“It’s going to make people think twice about coming downtown. That’s really all it’s going to do. Especially over a holiday weekend, are you going to go to the ballpark or come downtown? You may rethink where you’re going to go. But it’s not gonna flood us; I feel confident that we’re not gonna get washed out or anything crazy like that.”

Florence will also be meeting with other downtown businesses to discuss promotions and strategies to attract more customers.

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