The Flood Wall

The Mississippi River often floods. In 1965, much of Dubuque was covered by flood waters, so the government officials gathered the money to build a huge "flood wall", which protects the city from overflowing water.

When the river begins to rise, city workers close these huge gates, sealing the city behind the wall. This has saved many of the buildings in Dubuque, especially during years when there were record floods such as in 1993, 2002, 2008, and 2011.