"Missouri River Flooding: Past Adds To Fears"

"Hamburg, Ia. - When it comes to flooding, Iowans have long memories. And with the Missouri River again bearing down on the state, disrupting lives and drenching newly planted fields, many can't help but recall the massive floods that battered western Iowa in 1952 and 1993.

This one, some say, could surpass them both before it ends later this summer.

Among the reasons why: The 1952 flood resulted from an unusually heavy snowmelt upstream; the 1993 deluge was caused by days of lingering, intense rains. The floodwaters now spreading across western Iowa from Sioux City to Hamburg are a combination of both factors."

Perry Beeman and Regina Zilbermints report for the DesMoines Register June 19, 2011.