Lawmakers push for faster results in flood planning
By PERRY BEEMAN • pbeeman@dmreg.com • February 22, 2009
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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090222/NEWS/902220343
Buzz up!
Lawmakers from Iowa areas hit hardest by last year's floods want the state to move faster to expand work meant to reduce future damage.The Iowa Department of Natural Resources wants to ask Iowans this summer to comment on new strategies to reduce property damage and injuries in future floods before giving the plans final approval.
The strategy, still in the early stages, would lead to rules on how flood-resistant new buildings should be, how often they should be inspected, and how extensive floodplain maps should be.The legislators say the agency is on the right track, but it needs to move faster to make changes before floods ravage communities again.Sen. Robert Hogg, a Democrat who represents Cedar Rapids, told agency officials at a legislative hearing earlier this month that the plan should be in place this year.
"We have been failing the people of Iowa and 2009 needs to be the year that stops," he said. "Long before the floods of 2008, Iowa was one of the leading flood-damaged states in the country."State water-quality chief Charles Corell agreed that the state's efforts to manage the floodplains and ensure dam safety have fallen short, but that's because lawmakers haven't provided money for new mapping or the staff to review building plans in floodplains.
"Iowa needs to do more, Iowa should do more, Iowa should have been doing more for the last 20 years," Corell said.He said a $3 million infusion included in Gov. Chet Culver's budget would help rejuvenate Iowa's work to keep floodplains safe. That work would include limiting construction in floodplains, ensuring buildings are flood-resistant, and checking dams more often.The resources department's work to regulate floodplains is part of a broader state effort to address flood damage that includes the recovery work of the Rebuild Iowa office and of several federal agencies in Iowa.
"We know how to reduce damages - we just need to do more," Corell said.William Ehm, who works on water issues for the DNR, said the state has 3,300 dams, most of them more than 50 years old, and many of them are not inspected regularly. He said the agency is trying to provide enough time for public comment, so it is unlikely new policies would be in place until next year.But Ehm said he hopes to speed up some of the work by using an existing state water task force as an advisory panel instead of waiting for the governor's office to assemble a new group proposed by the Rebuild Iowa office.
"Sen. Hogg has people in his district who have been to hell and back in the last year," Ehm said. "It's understandable that he wants us to move faster. But if we make a mistake, we'll pay for it for several years. We need to be careful."Ehm expects public meetings on final recommendations this summer, with implementation months later.The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated 600 of Iowa's 947 cities as flood-hazard areas. Ehm said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is unlikely to build major new levees in Iowa due to budget shortfalls.
The Corps still is scrambling to finish repairs to levees damaged last year.Jack Riessen, who retired last week after decades as a floodplain and water-quality authority at the DNR, told lawmakers earlier this month that part of the new effort will be to protect cities from more severe floods that are expected to occur more often as the Earth's atmosphere warms.He said the added protection is most important for hospitals and other "critical facilities" in floodplains.
Iowa had a special commission in the late 1940s that decided flood-protection matters, Riessen said. The state was considered a national leader in the field. "We need to re-establish an advisory council or regulatory agency" that can operate outside of the pressures of local politics, Riessen said.Corell, the water-quality chief, said FEMA often sends people to the DNR for answers about flood maps and regulations. The resources department has four floodplain engineers and one employee who handles dam inspections.
"Local politics can get in the way of a good science-based decision, which is where we come in," Corell said.It's too early to tell if the $3 million will survive budget deliberations, expected to come later in the session, lawmakers said.Hogg said the issues are important, especially as severe floods become more frequent. An Iowa "home-owner has a better chance of getting flooded than of winning craps," he said.Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said the DNR's new flood plan is one of the most important initiatives of the legislative session.
"Greater protections are needed," Bolkcom said.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Living with Floods: From Science to Policy
Link to Program - it's still under development so check back later for any late changes.
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/dnn4/Default.aspx?tabid=246
Note - there is a $25.oo per day fee. Although - one would think that flood victims would be able to attend for free.
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/dnn4/Default.aspx?tabid=246
Note - there is a $25.oo per day fee. Although - one would think that flood victims would be able to attend for free.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Gazette Article
THE FLOODS OF 2008
Parkview Terrace pushes for future protection
By Alicia Ebaugh
The Gazette
IOWA CITY Most flood-damaged homes in the Parkview Terrace neighborhood aren't eligible for buyouts, even when the repair costs or some have mounted to $90,000, said one resident Friday.
Jerry Anthony said such homeowners simply want to make sure their homes are protected from another flood.
Anthony, of 713 Eastmoor Dr., is the chairman of the Parkview Terrace Non-Buyout Eligible Group, which recently formed to push for better types of flood protection not only in their neighborhood but citywide.
"We want people to see there is a great need for preventive and mitigation measures that will be good for the broader community," Anthony said.
"Many of my neighbors spent between $50,000 and $60,000of their own money to fix their homes, and it would be a shame to have this happen again."
Parkview Terrace is a lowlying neighborhood along the Iowa River that took the brunt of the floodwaters last summer. Of the approximately 150 homeowners in Parkview Terrace, Anthony said, about 90 are not eligible for buyouts because their homes are not in the 100-yearflood plain.
Members of the group of 90 have been informally meeting with city and state officials for the past few months to discuss flood protection plans and will continue to do so until the plans are completed.
"Unless there is a group of citizens concerned about an issue, ones who will be directly affected by it, interest might fizzle," Anthony said. "We want to make sure that flood protection remains a priority."
Anthony said he will speak Tuesday at the Iowa City Council meeting in support of a proposed 1 percent local option sales tax the council is set to discuss. Money from the sales tax in Iowa City would likely be used on flood mitigation infrastructure projects.
If the council votes to put the tax to a public vote, the election would be held May 5. Linn County communities will vote on a similar proposal March 3.
• Contact the writer: (319) 398-8488 or alicia.ebaugh@gazcomm.com
Parkview Terrace pushes for future protection
By Alicia Ebaugh
The Gazette
IOWA CITY Most flood-damaged homes in the Parkview Terrace neighborhood aren't eligible for buyouts, even when the repair costs or some have mounted to $90,000, said one resident Friday.
Jerry Anthony said such homeowners simply want to make sure their homes are protected from another flood.
Anthony, of 713 Eastmoor Dr., is the chairman of the Parkview Terrace Non-Buyout Eligible Group, which recently formed to push for better types of flood protection not only in their neighborhood but citywide.
"We want people to see there is a great need for preventive and mitigation measures that will be good for the broader community," Anthony said.
"Many of my neighbors spent between $50,000 and $60,000of their own money to fix their homes, and it would be a shame to have this happen again."
Parkview Terrace is a lowlying neighborhood along the Iowa River that took the brunt of the floodwaters last summer. Of the approximately 150 homeowners in Parkview Terrace, Anthony said, about 90 are not eligible for buyouts because their homes are not in the 100-yearflood plain.
Members of the group of 90 have been informally meeting with city and state officials for the past few months to discuss flood protection plans and will continue to do so until the plans are completed.
"Unless there is a group of citizens concerned about an issue, ones who will be directly affected by it, interest might fizzle," Anthony said. "We want to make sure that flood protection remains a priority."
Anthony said he will speak Tuesday at the Iowa City Council meeting in support of a proposed 1 percent local option sales tax the council is set to discuss. Money from the sales tax in Iowa City would likely be used on flood mitigation infrastructure projects.
If the council votes to put the tax to a public vote, the election would be held May 5. Linn County communities will vote on a similar proposal March 3.
• Contact the writer: (319) 398-8488 or alicia.ebaugh@gazcomm.com
Hard to Predict Iowa Floods?
Hard to predict Iowa rivers' flood odds, experts say
By Adam Belz
The Gazetteadam.belz@gazettecommunications.com
Worth A Look
LINKS OF INTEREST
National Weather Service Rivers and Streams
National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Attribution (including explanation of 2008 flood)
United States Geological Survey Real-Time Water Data
IOWA CITY - Chances that the Cedar or Iowa River will flood again this spring are slightly below average.But Midwestern weather has grown steadily more volatile over the past century, and if one thing is certain about flood forecasting, it's that it is not certain.How much it snows before spring, and then how much it rains, may change all the predictions.But considering the information available now — soil saturation last fall, depth of winter hard frost and the amount of snow on the ground — the likelihood of a flood is not high.That's in contrast to last year, when "the gun was cocked pretty good," said Steve Buan, of the National Weather Service's North Central River Forecast Center in Minneapolis.Buan was among the 30 or so experts on weather, climate, rivers and emergency management gathered at the University of Iowa on Wednesday to discuss climate change, flood predictions and government response to floods. The experts came from the National Weather Service, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Linn County and the Iowa Department of Homeland Security.Last June's flood illustrates the difficulty of accurate long-term predictions.Though the ground was saturated through early June, and chances of flooding were above average, none of the computer models predicted a major flood in early June — because none of the models predicted 12 inches of rain between May 15 and June 15."Our ability to forecast rainfall is pretty good a day or two in advance," said Ray Wolf, a science and operations officer at the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities.Beyond two days, it's spotty.Those 12 inches of rain over the Cedar River watershed in June triggered flash floods just as the river was cresting. The probability of such heavy rainfall in that period was one in 1,000, said Chris Anderson, assistant director of the Climate Science Initiative at Iowa State University."I don't think we've done the research to eliminate bad luck," he said.Eugene Takle, director of the Climate Science Initiative at Iowa State, projects with limited confidence that Iowa is entering an era of higher annual precipitation, more severe rainfall, though it may be sporadic, and more rapid flooding.He said annual precipitation in Cedar Rapids has risen by 30 percent since 1896, from about 28 inches per year to 37 inches per year.So the stakes, if anything, have been raised. The larger question Wednesday, with the Iowa River churning in the background under the Burlington Street bridge, was how these experts can translate their research into usable information for the public.Shripad Deo, a sociologist and researcher with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, said all agencies need to better gear their research toward practical applications."There is a list of information that is provided, but it's not usable," said Deo, who is one of dozens of scientists working at the institute, a joint effort of NOAA and Colorado State University.Anderson, the ISU scientist, said that's is a difficult problem for federal agencies like NOAA. But he said he would put together a report for NOAA after the two-day conference in Iowa City, adding he thinks the agency could cooperate with local emergency management agencies or university extension services to better communicate with the public.He also said inundation maps — the kind that show who will get flooded at which river levels — are an important project. Cedar Rapids officials are already working on such a map.But these projects and improved Web sites take time and resources."That's the problem that these federal agencies are facing," Deo said. "They're not trained to explain."
By Adam Belz
The Gazetteadam.belz@gazettecommunications.com
Worth A Look
LINKS OF INTEREST
National Weather Service Rivers and Streams
National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Attribution (including explanation of 2008 flood)
United States Geological Survey Real-Time Water Data
IOWA CITY - Chances that the Cedar or Iowa River will flood again this spring are slightly below average.But Midwestern weather has grown steadily more volatile over the past century, and if one thing is certain about flood forecasting, it's that it is not certain.How much it snows before spring, and then how much it rains, may change all the predictions.But considering the information available now — soil saturation last fall, depth of winter hard frost and the amount of snow on the ground — the likelihood of a flood is not high.That's in contrast to last year, when "the gun was cocked pretty good," said Steve Buan, of the National Weather Service's North Central River Forecast Center in Minneapolis.Buan was among the 30 or so experts on weather, climate, rivers and emergency management gathered at the University of Iowa on Wednesday to discuss climate change, flood predictions and government response to floods. The experts came from the National Weather Service, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Linn County and the Iowa Department of Homeland Security.Last June's flood illustrates the difficulty of accurate long-term predictions.Though the ground was saturated through early June, and chances of flooding were above average, none of the computer models predicted a major flood in early June — because none of the models predicted 12 inches of rain between May 15 and June 15."Our ability to forecast rainfall is pretty good a day or two in advance," said Ray Wolf, a science and operations officer at the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities.Beyond two days, it's spotty.Those 12 inches of rain over the Cedar River watershed in June triggered flash floods just as the river was cresting. The probability of such heavy rainfall in that period was one in 1,000, said Chris Anderson, assistant director of the Climate Science Initiative at Iowa State University."I don't think we've done the research to eliminate bad luck," he said.Eugene Takle, director of the Climate Science Initiative at Iowa State, projects with limited confidence that Iowa is entering an era of higher annual precipitation, more severe rainfall, though it may be sporadic, and more rapid flooding.He said annual precipitation in Cedar Rapids has risen by 30 percent since 1896, from about 28 inches per year to 37 inches per year.So the stakes, if anything, have been raised. The larger question Wednesday, with the Iowa River churning in the background under the Burlington Street bridge, was how these experts can translate their research into usable information for the public.Shripad Deo, a sociologist and researcher with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, said all agencies need to better gear their research toward practical applications."There is a list of information that is provided, but it's not usable," said Deo, who is one of dozens of scientists working at the institute, a joint effort of NOAA and Colorado State University.Anderson, the ISU scientist, said that's is a difficult problem for federal agencies like NOAA. But he said he would put together a report for NOAA after the two-day conference in Iowa City, adding he thinks the agency could cooperate with local emergency management agencies or university extension services to better communicate with the public.He also said inundation maps — the kind that show who will get flooded at which river levels — are an important project. Cedar Rapids officials are already working on such a map.But these projects and improved Web sites take time and resources."That's the problem that these federal agencies are facing," Deo said. "They're not trained to explain."
Swept Away - Brought Together Meetings
“Swept Away---Brought Together”
share your STORIES OF THE 2008 FLOOD
Through written expression or journaling within a safe, supportive community
(for people with all levels of writing experiences)
Share your stories of loss, fear, anger, desperation…
Your stories of support, strength, resilience
Of triumph---of faith---of hope
Of defeat---of doubt---of despair
Or whatever your heart needs to share.
Meet weekly for 6 weeks starting March26th
The Crisis Center 1121 Gilbert Ct.
Day: Thursdays Time: 7-8:30 pm
(it only takes 2 people to make a group & I count as 1!!)
Writing can be a source of healing and recovery
and a creative way to make meaning out of life’s traumatic circumstances.
Contact Diane at the Crisis Center for details or questions---351-0140
“I was thirty five years old before I understood that there is no ending without a beginning. That beginnings and endings are always right up against each other. Nothing ever ends without something else beginning or begins without something else ending.”---Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
The 2008 flood is one of those ending/beginning moments.
A Personal Note
“Swept Away---Brought Together”
This summer’s flood waters brought great loss, suffering and grief to many in our community, and it affected all ages, all incomes, all races and religions.
Healing comes from telling and sharing stories. Stories connect us all to our humanity. The Crisis Center is offering an opportunity for those who have survived the 2008 flood to come together and write the stories in a safe and confidential setting. We will use the medium of written word to record the events, to describe places and belongings, and to express emotions, thoughts and beliefs that came with the water that rushed in to steal and destroy…or maybe to cleanse and create.
We will write and share (as you are comfortable). We will listen and ask questions. We will honor whatever needs honoring. There is no limits on the form your writing may take (poetry, prose, essay, 1st person or 3rd person narrative). There is no right or wrong way to write your story and you do not need to be a skilled writer to write your story. You only need to have a story.
I hope this creates a curiosity and desire to come and see what kind of a healing might come for you and the others who dare to reveal themselves and their stories within a compassionate and understanding community.
If you are interested or want more information, please call the Crisis Center at 351-0140 and ask for Diane. If I am not there, leave a message with the crisis line volunteer that you are interested. Leave your name and phone # if you are comfortable with that, and I will return your call. And ask a neighbor or friend to join you!! I think I can guarantee that you will meet some wonderful people!
Sincerely,
Diane Yagla, Flood Case Advocate at the Crisis Center
School of Social Work
share your STORIES OF THE 2008 FLOOD
Through written expression or journaling within a safe, supportive community
(for people with all levels of writing experiences)
Share your stories of loss, fear, anger, desperation…
Your stories of support, strength, resilience
Of triumph---of faith---of hope
Of defeat---of doubt---of despair
Or whatever your heart needs to share.
Meet weekly for 6 weeks starting March26th
The Crisis Center 1121 Gilbert Ct.
Day: Thursdays Time: 7-8:30 pm
(it only takes 2 people to make a group & I count as 1!!)
Writing can be a source of healing and recovery
and a creative way to make meaning out of life’s traumatic circumstances.
Contact Diane at the Crisis Center for details or questions---351-0140
“I was thirty five years old before I understood that there is no ending without a beginning. That beginnings and endings are always right up against each other. Nothing ever ends without something else beginning or begins without something else ending.”---Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
The 2008 flood is one of those ending/beginning moments.
A Personal Note
“Swept Away---Brought Together”
This summer’s flood waters brought great loss, suffering and grief to many in our community, and it affected all ages, all incomes, all races and religions.
Healing comes from telling and sharing stories. Stories connect us all to our humanity. The Crisis Center is offering an opportunity for those who have survived the 2008 flood to come together and write the stories in a safe and confidential setting. We will use the medium of written word to record the events, to describe places and belongings, and to express emotions, thoughts and beliefs that came with the water that rushed in to steal and destroy…or maybe to cleanse and create.
We will write and share (as you are comfortable). We will listen and ask questions. We will honor whatever needs honoring. There is no limits on the form your writing may take (poetry, prose, essay, 1st person or 3rd person narrative). There is no right or wrong way to write your story and you do not need to be a skilled writer to write your story. You only need to have a story.
I hope this creates a curiosity and desire to come and see what kind of a healing might come for you and the others who dare to reveal themselves and their stories within a compassionate and understanding community.
If you are interested or want more information, please call the Crisis Center at 351-0140 and ask for Diane. If I am not there, leave a message with the crisis line volunteer that you are interested. Leave your name and phone # if you are comfortable with that, and I will return your call. And ask a neighbor or friend to join you!! I think I can guarantee that you will meet some wonderful people!
Sincerely,
Diane Yagla, Flood Case Advocate at the Crisis Center
School of Social Work
Sunday, February 1, 2009
United Way help offered
United Way has a half time employee Mark Anthony, who is coordinating
recovery volunteers with work requests & working with Mark & Carol Martin,
who head the local ecumenical volunteer efforts. Mark Martin says that
there are a lot of college students coming to town to volunteer during their
spring break. Sooooooo, people should call UW & request volunteers for any
needs. In fact, there have been volunteers coming to town all along, so
it's possible to get volunteer help before that.
Also the term "unmet needs" seems to also cover debt incurred due to the
flood. So people who didn't interview with the "green shirts" should talk
with UW about giving that interview. The grants / donations coming to UW
will be distributed based on this data. The UW office is on the corner of
5th St & 12th Ave in Coralville.
And finally, our local ecumenical group meets at 3:30 every Thursday at
First Christian Church, Lincolnshire Place, Coralville. It's an open
meeting. FEMA rep Phoebe Trepp comes. Her title is "Volunteer Agency
Liaison" & if people want to talk to her directly, she's
phoebe.trepp@dhs,gov Also, Adam Yak comes. He works for the state level
flood recovery people. The rest of the people represent local faith groups.
Katharine Nicholson
319-339-4604
cell: 319-331-3874
recovery volunteers with work requests & working with Mark & Carol Martin,
who head the local ecumenical volunteer efforts. Mark Martin says that
there are a lot of college students coming to town to volunteer during their
spring break. Sooooooo, people should call UW & request volunteers for any
needs. In fact, there have been volunteers coming to town all along, so
it's possible to get volunteer help before that.
Also the term "unmet needs" seems to also cover debt incurred due to the
flood. So people who didn't interview with the "green shirts" should talk
with UW about giving that interview. The grants / donations coming to UW
will be distributed based on this data. The UW office is on the corner of
5th St & 12th Ave in Coralville.
And finally, our local ecumenical group meets at 3:30 every Thursday at
First Christian Church, Lincolnshire Place, Coralville. It's an open
meeting. FEMA rep Phoebe Trepp comes. Her title is "Volunteer Agency
Liaison" & if people want to talk to her directly, she's
phoebe.trepp@dhs,gov Also, Adam Yak comes. He works for the state level
flood recovery people. The rest of the people represent local faith groups.
Katharine Nicholson
319-339-4604
cell: 319-331-3874
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