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.