By Cari Cooney In a matter of days, torrential downpours caused Ames Iowa and other central Iowa towns to flood severely. This strikes near and dear to me, as I graduated from Iowa State in 2006. Parking lots that were soon to hold fellow Cyclones fans for tailgating now look like lakes. Major roads have [...]
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Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes in Ames early Wednesday after three to five inches of rain pushed Squaw Creek and Skunk River to break their banks. Sandbagging is underway, but water is already up to car windshields. Several buildings on the Iowa State University campus, such as Hilton Coliseum where the Cyclones [...]
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A Flood Story By Cari Cooney Elizabeth and her husband were going through a separation at the time of the flooding in 2008. Though she was living in a separate apartment, many of her items were being stored at their home together on 10th Street. Elizabeth was still frequently at the home, helping her husband remodel [...]
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After almost two years, the city of Palo, Iowa has broken ground on a new community center and City Hall. The city was hit exceptionally hard by flooding in 2008. Reports indicate close to 400 homes were damaged by high water, causing almost $10 million dollars in total damage to city property.
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The Ticket to Hope Program, provided by the Iowa Department of Human Services, is offering free mental health counseling sessions to victims of 2008 Iowa floods.
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Despite benefits, towns reject FEMA flood buyouts: Chelsea’s 297 residents were tempted to move after 2008′s flood but ultimately opted to stay put. Municipal leaders considered a plan to move their town, in the northern part of the state between the Iowa River and Otter Creek, to a nearby hill. But the plan was scrapped when the farmer who owned the land decided not to sell.
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There are so many stories from flood victims that find their way to my inbox. While all of them are interesting, heart-breaking and sometimes, pleasantly enlightening, the story of Timothy “TJ” Jensen was truly incredible. Told to me by his dear friend Rebecca Hall, his story of loss, courage and perseverance could serve as an inspiration to all who reads his tale.
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Falling river levels bring a sense of guarded relief from Iowa flood worries [DMR] – Many Iowa rivers are falling, and wide swaths of the state appear poised to escape serious flooding if heavy rains stay away, the National Weather Service reported Thursday.
Senators question flood mapping [Burlington Hawkeye] - A bipartisan group of senators, including Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, questioned the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about flood insurance rate maps created for communities and individuals.
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Several state agencies kicked off a month-long public information campaign designating March as Flood Awareness Month. Flood awareness is particularly important since Iowa is still recovering from the floods and storms of 2008. The 2008 disaster was not only the worst natural disaster to strike the state, but is considered one of the largest disasters on record in U.S. history. The Rebuild Iowa Office, the Iowa Insurance Division, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division will share flood-related information and safety tips with the media and the public throughout the month of March.
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In the summer of 2008, the waters were starting to rise at alarming rates. Credit Island in Davenport, Iowa was no exception to the flooding, as for many years it falls victim to high water levels.
Cedar Rapids, IA
