News

Aerial photo of the Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory

Three ways to address increasing flood risk in the Midwest

Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Historic flooding across the Great Plains and Midwest has been devastating. While waters may be receding, farmers and communities aren’t out of the woods yet. Recovery will be costly and lengthy, and additional floods could be around the corner.
Portrait of Witold Krajewski

Governor Kim Reynolds visits Linn County Emergency Management to discuss prep, mitigation efforts

Thursday, March 28, 2019
Governor Kim Reynolds visited Cedar Rapids Thursday to speak with area experts and members of the Linn County Emergency Management team. This comes after the governor says 57 counties in Iowa have received the governor's disaster proclamation.
Photo of Iowa capitol building

Legislative leaders pledge state response to Iowa floods

Friday, March 22, 2019
Republican leaders in the Iowa legislature say they will meet with Governor Kim Reynolds to chart the state’s response to the catastrophic flooding that’s hit western Iowa.
A home surrounded by floodwater

Stage is set for potentially devastating U.S. spring floods

Thursday, March 21, 2019
A rare set of preconditions has left some of the nation’s biggest river basins vulnerable to what could be widespread and historic flooding, NOAA warned in its spring flood outlook issued on Thursday.
Portrait of Witold Krajewski

Four lessons from 'bomb cyclone' flooding in the Great Plains

Monday, March 18, 2019
The "bomb cyclone" dominated headlines last week, but the flooding it caused in the U.S. Great Plains did not initially.
Portrait of Witold Krajewski

National Weather Service says spring flooding chances are 'above normal' in many parts of Iowa

Thursday, March 7, 2019
Portions of Iowa have a 95 percent chance of major flooding this spring, according to a grim report from the National Weather Service.
Photo of icy Iowa River and Stanley Hydraulics Lab

Experts monitoring flood risk as spring melt approaches

Thursday, February 21, 2019
After a brutal stretch of winter weather, most Iowans are dreaming of the warmth that come come from the Spring months. But there is a downside to our eventual warm up. After one of the snowiest periods in Iowa history, forecasters warn of a higher risk of spring flooding as a result of the eventual snow melt.
Photo of icy Iowa River and Stanley Hydraulics Lab

Iowa Flood Center says heavy snowfall may increase risk of spring flooding

Monday, February 18, 2019
Cedar Rapids is nearing 2008 levels for snowfall, which has a lot of people worried about spring flooding. It's about a foot less than this time in 2008, but is still one of the highest on record.