WAVERLY -- The mud is something else. Dark. Thick. Sticky. A bit like tar and omnipresent in the flood zone.

"Everything is mud," said Betty Bast, a landlord trying to clean her property. "The garage is mud -- mud, mud, mud."

Most of the floodwater in Waverly is long gone, but property owners, contractors and city crews continue to clean up after last week's unwelcome visitor.

On Thursday, Bast was still at work on the house she rents out on Sixth Street Northwest. The high water displaced several tenants from the basement, all international students at Wartburg College.

Prior to the flood, Bast moved some belongings out of harm's way, but not enough. She, like many others across the region, underestimated the flood's reach.

"If we had only known," she said.

A microwave, stove and other mud-smeared appliances waited at the curb for collection. Water-damaged shoes and textbooks, pages curling, lay on the garage floor in a salvage effort that will likely prove futile, Bast said. Stained shirts hung on a cloths line.

At long last, water in the basement is gone.

"Now we are trying to get it dry," Bast said.

She suspended her efforts momentarily Thursday morning to accept a brown bag lunch from Open Bible Church, along with beverages and a roll of paper towels. About 15 minutes later, a crew from Grace Baptist Church also offered a free meal.

The gestures of goodwill added to Bast's sunny disposition.

"God is good," Bast said. "We'll get through it."

Main Street

The Cedar River rose well above flood stage in Waverly, reaching 19.2 feet at it's worst -- a good 2 feet higher than predictions. Waverly residents continue to marvel at -- and sometimes curse -- the water's wrath.

Some downtown properties within a block of the river fared better than low-lying areas in neighborhoods unaccustomed to flooding.

"Unfortunately, geography is all you can say," said Jake Dolash, owner of the Wooden Foot Saloon.

His bar on First Street Southeast is a block away from the Cedar River and experienced relatively minor problems. Water filled the basement and came up through the floor in one place, but left the his main level virtually untouched.

Thursday, Dolash planned to be open within a day. Farther east along Bremer Avenue, others sweated over repairs and cleanup. Owners, state economic representatives and a health inspector discussed strategies in the Pour House, particularly the fate of a wooden floor.

The amount of -- and sometimes conflicting -- information, beginning with forecast flood levels and continuing with sanitation requirements, adds to an already frustrating situation, said Cindy Helmers. She and her husband, Larry, own the building that features the Pour House.

"There's so much information out there and just getting information for the city of Waverly has been hard," Cindy Helmers said.

"We want to get back into business," she added.

Michael Wagler, a design consultant with Main Street Iowa, said he can understand. Wagler and Jim Thompson, a business consultant with the agency, made rounds Thursday in downtown Waverly with Kelly Engelken, executive director of the Waverly Chamber of Commerce.

"There are a lot of inspectors coming in here," Wagler said.

And priorities vary. Waverly officials are concerned about city code. Preservationists look out for historic sites and materials. And business owners are anxious to re-open.

"There are differences of opinion, differences of thought," Wagler said.

Thompson has also spent time recently in Charles City, Elkader and Waverly. He said Main Street Iowa representatives plan to work their way south as floodwaters recede in those communities.

"Our next few weeks are booked," Thompson said.

Wagler said he and Thompson are assessing damage and needs. Financial assistance may be available but budgets are tight for everyone, Wagler said.

Downtown Waverly took the biggest hit in the business sector, said Jason Passmore, the city's economic development director. Many of Waverly's larger industries and businesses avoided problems, he added.

Most businesses hit by high water plan to be up and running within two weeks, Engelken said, though some may relocate for a time.

Crawdaddy Outdoors employees worked to get the shop on East Bremer Avenue ready for customers. The business took in more than a foot of water on the first floor but employees Thursday were already painting.

Engelken encourages business owners affected by the flood to call the Waverly Chamber of Commerce at (319) 352-4526. The chamber also plans to organize volunteers to help with cleanup.

City response

Piles of debris and forlorn appliances trash curbs, driveways and alleys in Waverly as property owners make way for repairs and replacements.

City crews say they are in a battle to keep up. Dump trucks and loaders continue to move load after load of wreckage to the Bremer County Fairgrounds. There, contractors and city workers load the waste for a trip to the Black Hawk County Landfill.

Hazardous household items are going to the Bremer County Customer Convenience Center, 2049 200th St., in rural Waverly. Sandbags should go to Public Services at 412 First Avenue SE. Spoiled food also belongs at Public Services or the 4-H Building at the fairgrounds.

The pile of soiled mattresses, furniture, coolers and trash at the fairgrounds never seems to shrink. City workers note that despite working 12-hour days, they often clear a neighborhood only to find more rubbish the next day.

"There's still tons and tons roadside," said Eric Whitcome, a summer employee.

"I kind of refer to it as the never-ending story," he added. "Once you think you are making some improvement, you have to do it all over again."

That said, City Manager Dick Crayne is somewhat optimistic the effort may be approaching the halfway point.

The public can help city crews by bagging loose items like drywall. And Public Services foreman Vernon Sebilsky cautioned against washing filthy slime down the drain. Better to try and scrap it off. Otherwise, the gunk clogs the sewer system, Sebilsky said.

Many city functions are being fulfilled by employees working in the Waverly Public Library. The flood forced officials out of City Hall and the Civic Center, which is on the Cedar River's east bank.

Damage to City Hall was more or less limited to carpet and wallpaper, Crayne said. Damage, though, could total about $100,000.

Preliminary discussions with state and federal officials give Crayne hope.

"I think a lot of our costs are going to be reimbursed by FEMA," he said.

With cleaning and drying efforts nearing completion at City Hall, staff members may return home soon, Crayne added. Chambers at the Civic Center will be ready for Monday's council session. The meeting at 7 p.m. includes an update on Waverly's flood response.

Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.