Anatomy of Iowa Floods: Preparing for the Future
Monday, July 19
4:00-6:00 p.m.
Ames City Council Chambers
AGENDA
- Welcome: Ames Mayor Ann Campbell and Jane Halliburton, Story County Supervisor
- A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008: Joe Bolkcom, Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa
- Trends in Iowa precipitation: Chris Anderson, PhD, Climate Science Initiative, Iowa State University
Slides
- Trends in Iowa run-off: Kristie J. Franz, Assistant Professor, Iowa State University, Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Slides
How are we preparing for more Iowa floods?
- The Iowa Flood Center: Ricardo Mantilla, Research Engineer
Slides - Floodplain management strategies: Jason Conn, IDNR Water Resources Section
Slides - Water Quality Issues: Allen Bonini, DNR Watershed Improvement Section Supervisor
Summary
Many of the tools we can use to reduce the damages caused by flooding also can reduce water pollution. Increasing the amount of rain that soaks into the ground reduces runoff to the stream. We can also reduce the amount of rain that runs off into the stream by holding more in the watershed. But the best way of reducing damages from floods is to let the flood plain function as a flood plain and not fill it with buildings and other structures that will be damaged when it floods.
All of these flood mitigation methods can also reduce water pollution. Sediment can bury habitat used by fish and other animals that live in the stream. Less runoff means less erosion and less sediment in the stream. Some nutrients bind tightly to soils so reducing erosion also reduces nutrients and increasing the amount of growing plants on the landscape--both rural and urban--can prevent the nutrients from entering the stream. Pathogens that can make swimmers sick can wash off the landscape so, again, reducing runoff and erosion can reduce the amount of pathogens in our rivers and streams.
Slides - Rural-urban watershed coalition building: Jennifer Welch, Urban Conservationist, Polk Soil and Water Conservation District
Slides - Cedar Falls Floodplain Initiative: Kamyar Enshayan, Cedar Falls City Council
Slides - Discussion of state public policy issues: Aaron Todd, Community Planning Specialist, Rebuild Iowa Offic
Q and A from audience (30 - 40 minutes)
Adjourn for refreshments and informal discussions.
This event has been organized by the University of Iowa's Center for Global & Regional Environmental Research, Rebuild Iowa Office, UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension, Iowa League of Cities and the Iowa State Association of Counties.
