When Kaleb Young started studying at the University of Iowa, he wanted to become a doctor. And while he’ll gain that title, it will not be an MD like he originally planned but a PhD with a focus in flood mitigation.

The Director of the Iowa Flood Center says Spencer is now on the map as a priority for flood control. Larry Weber says 2024 demonstrated how large the watershed to the North of the community is, and flooding in Spencer is a harbinger for communities downstream

In Spencer, Iowa, city leaders held an event to update residents on flood recovery. They shared the progress they have made over the past eleven months, and offered resources to help members of the community better prepare themselves for the future.

An overview of the Flood Recovery Update Community Event held in Spencer.

A federal hiring freeze and layoffs at the National Weather Service are impacting the accuracy of forecasts and long-range outlooks. IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering Director Larry Weber shares how tens of millions of dollars in federal grants and contracts that were headed to the University of Iowa-housed laboratory have been put on hold.

Sitting at the confluence of the Iowa and Cedar Rivers in Louisa County, Columbus Junction has dealt with flooding issues including widespread events in 2008, 1993 and prior. The city was chosen in 2023 as one of four to join the Iowa Flood Resilient Communities Cohort, along with Muscatine, Dubuque and Manchester. These cities will work with the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) and American Flood Coalition (AFC) to mitigate future hazards.

Similar to its prediction made earlier this month, the Nation Weather Service’s Quad Cities bureau is anticipating below normal spring flood risks. Tim Gross, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the risk for severe flooding on the Mississippi River this spring is currently 5 to 10 percent.

As part of sweeping cuts across a broad swath of U.S. departments and agencies, $35 million in federal grants and contracts headed to the University of Iowa’s 105-year-old IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering center have been placed on hold.

Amid an uncertain situation surrounding federal funding, representatives from the Iowa Flood Center and Iowa Geological Survey mingled with Iowa lawmakers Tuesday to make their case for increasing state allocations.

On Tuesday, March 11 the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) hosted its' annual Legislative Breakfast at the state capitol with the Iowa Geological Survey. The annual event provides an opportunity for local, state, and federal partners to celebrate successful collaborations and exchange ideas for continuing to advance water resource management across the state.