Serving Iowans
The Iowa Flood Center (IFC) puts science-based information and technology in the hands of Iowa’s decision-makers, emergency responders, community leaders, home and business owners, educators, and the public. IFC researchers, staff, and students strive to develop the most innovative tools and reliable information to improve Iowa’s flood preparedness and resiliency.
Flood Monitoring
Nearly 300 stream-stage sensors designed, built, and deployed by IFC measure river levels every 15 minutes, improving flood monitoring and forecasting. Hydrologic weather stations improve flood- and drought- prediction capabilities.
Flood Mapping
High-resolution statewide flood maps for every Iowa stream, along with scenario-based flood inundation maps, keep individuals and communities safe and informed—protecting lives, property, and critical infrastructure.
Flood Mitigation
IFC staff and researchers provide leadership and technical expertise that supports collaborations with local, state, and federal partners to develop and implement watershed-based strategies to mitigate flood damage and increase resilience.
Education and Outreach
The IFC participates in dozens of outreach activities each year and is dedicated to ensuring its resources are easily accessible and tailored for diverse audiences. IFC support for undergrad and grad students is developing Iowa’s future workforce.
Iowa Flood Information System
IFIS is a free, Google Maps-based web platform that communicates real-time information about stream levels, flood alerts and forecasts, and hydrologic conditions for the entire state of Iowa.
Research Spotlight
News Spotlight
“Iowa really knows … They’ve modeled and mapped the state, they have great data and visualization tools, and they have really effective outreach and communication. To really have a complete flood approach, you have to do all of those things.”
News & Features
Budget cuts force an Iowa county to abandon ‘gold standard’ flood warning system
A Fascination with Precipitation: Reliable flood prediction information for all
Events
Grandparents University®: Discover Your Watershed
Hawkeye grandparents and grandchildren, ages 8-14 years old, can experience student life together while taking part in educational, fun, and unique activities.
Explore extreme weather events, particularly flooding, as well as water-quality challenges in Iowa. Design your own watershed systems, experimenting with different materials to discover how to reduce flood impacts and agricultural runoff to protect clean water. By the end, you will better understand how land-use practices impact flooding...
Community Stem Day with Collins Aerospace
Join us for Community STEM Day, hosted by Collins Aerospace in collaboration with the Southeast Iowa STEM Hub.
This exciting farmer’s market-style STEM event will take place from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Collins Aerospace C Ave Complex near the Building 112 entrance in Cedar Rapids. The day will feature engaging STEM activities from businesses, individuals, and organizations from the Cedar Rapids area. There will also be lab tours, in-depth workshops, and food trucks offering lunch for purchase...