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.

The National Weather Service is currently predicting low flood risk heading into spring, though last summer’s catastrophic flooding in Northwest Iowa amidst a drought is a reminder how quickly conditions can change. New research shows that Iowa has become a hotspot for flash flooding, and it’s important for communities, decision-makers, and the public to know their flood risks to reduce impacts.