Muscatine's riverfront fountain is back on after 3 months under water

Extensive cleaning was required to get the Mississippi Mist operating again. The city reported the fountain's plumbing system, holding tank and the pump house were clogged with large amounts of river mud from being submerged for three months. To the dismay of many Muscatine residents, the Mist was closed when the July heat wave hit bringing with it indices of 115 degrees.

"Removing the mud is just the first step," said Parks and Recreation Director Richard Klimes last week when work on the fountain was in progress. "We then have to go through the process of cleaning, sanitizing, and checking to see if the system still works."

The fountain is classified as a pool, the city said, and it needed to meet state regulations and the water needed to be tested before it could be reopened to the public.

The Mist along with Riverside Park, where it sits, were mostly closed beginning in March at the start of the flood season until mid-June. Some folks had fun with the flooding and placed lifejackets on the "Mississippi Harvest" clam man and Native American statues. The eastern portion of the park is where the most damage occurred, the city said, at the Riverview Center, the transient boat docks and the Mist.

The Mississippi River was above the 16-foot flood stage March 15 and didn't fall below that level until June 21, creating a new record of 99 consecutive days above flood stage. The former record of 56 consecutive days was set in 1993.

When flood waters finally receded, the Muscatine Parks and Recreation needed to clean and sanitize the Pearl City Station and Riverview Center buildings, the playground, bathrooms and basketball courts. Landscaping in the park also needed to be scraped, treated and even replaced in some areas. Public Works cleared mud from the parking lot and Kent Corp. quickly organized a volunteer clean-up effort, which sped up progress.

The fountain, with a steamboat aesthetic, has a large water jet in the center surrounded by four large and four small jets on the inner and outer perimeter. It was constructed in 2007 as part of ongoing revitalization projects on the riverfront.

During the Almost Friday Fest July 25 held in Riverside Park, the city had future plans for the area on display. Projects include a beer garden, designated area for food trucks, and amphitheater for a variety of events.

The Mist was clearly missed by the community as many people commented on social media wondering when it would reopen. When the city added a video of the fountain back in action Wednesday to its Facebook page, the post was viewed 12,000 times and received more than 1,000 comments, reactions and shares, Communications Manager Kevin Jenison said. 

Based on the outpouring of support, he said it seems as though the fountain is "one of the most looked-forward-to activities of summer in Muscatine."