WAVERLY - Waverly residents watched helplessly as Cedar River water outgrew its banks on Monday and today, flowing through city streets, across lawns and into homes and businesses.

"I sandbagged," said David Grawe, a downtown business owner. " … Did what I can do."

And yet it wasn't enough. On Tuesday morning, about a block of water separated Grawe from his eatery at 111 E. Bremer Ave. in Waverly.

The Cedar River crested around 11 a.m. today in Waverly at 19.12 feet, said Brian Sullivan, public services superintendent for Waverly.

As of 4 p.m. today, the river was at 18.7 feet and falling.

"It's going down," Sullivan said this afternoon.

But not before impacted an estimated 500 homes and businesses, said City Engineer Mike Cherry.

Evacuations began Monday evening in affected neighborhoods along the Cedar River. Forty-four residents sought shelter Monday evening at The W on Wartburg College's campus, said Don Barkley, a volunteer with a Red Cross chapter out of St. Louis.

At least 64 Waverly residents have signed up to stay tonight at The W, he added.

The Red Cross is serving lunch and dinner from The W, Barkley said, and breakfast, too, starting tomorrow. The Red Cross will also help equip the city with the cleanup that is to come.

"We will be providing the city with cleanup kits that will be issued to residents," Barkley said.

Flooding closed major roadways throughout Waverly. Motorists attempting to head north into Waverly on Business 218/Fourth Street were stopped at Harlington Cemetery. The Bremer Avenue bridge and Third Street Southeast/green bridge are also closed.

Sullivan said flood waters reached as far north as Seventh Avenue and as far south as Eighth Avenue. The flooding stretched out to Third Street to the east and to Eighth Street to the west, he said.

Many residents in town, even those who escaped flood waters, are experiencing sewage problems and backup, Sullivan said.

Waverly Light and Power also shut off power in areas of town impacted by the flooding.