On a bridge over the flooded Skunk River on West Riverside Road, two boys sat with a canoe Wednesday afternoon.

Mark Hayes, 16, and Andrew Hayes, 20, had just spent three hours canoeing down the river from their uncle’s house near Gilbert.

The rapid currents were exciting to the brothers from Ireland.

“We like it faster,” Mark said.

The brothers have been inner-tubing down the river while it was flooded before, they said.

John said they started tubing when their uncle mentioned it would be a fun thing to do, back when John was only 12. They went down to the river with a cooler and haven’t missed it since, they said.

The Skunk River was close to flooding on its south side late in the afternoon, said Clare Bills, public relations officer for the City of Ames. Near Highway 30, the river was at 19.6 feet, just over its bank. The bank is at 19.5 feet, Bills said.

The north side of Skunk River and Squaw Creek were also close to spilling over their banks at the time, Bills said.

If any more rain comes through the Ames area or north of Ames both Squaw Creek and Skunk River would probably spill over their banks, Bill said.

“At this point, it is worrisome, but not like 10 years ago or ’96 or ’98,” Bills said.

If rain falls north of Ames, the added water running south will add to the water already in the river and creek, possibly causing problems, she said. More rain before the end of the week would also cause the same problems.

Since the floods of 1993, Ames has been more conscientious about possible flooding, Bills said.

Several homes on flood plains were bought out, and Happy Joe’s Pizza, 551 South Duff Ave., built a flood gate after it was flooded.

Bills said there are no major storms predicted for the rest of the week, but Wednesday night might raise concern.

“As long as we get through tonight, [we’ll be OK],” she said.