From the Rebuild Iowa Office forwarded by Jane Clark July 30, 2010 IOWA MUST TAKE ACTION NOW TO MINIMIZE FLOOD RISK Yet another round of increased precipitation and flooding this summer reminds us more must be done to minimize future flood risk in Iowa. In 2008, tornadoes and widespread flooding resulted in the largest disaster in Iowa’s history. More than 40,000 Iowans were directly impacted by the disasters. Statewide losses were estimated between $8 and $10 billion with 85 of Iowa’s 99 counties receiving a presidential disaster declaration. To this day, the disaster remains one of the biggest disasters in U.S. history when calculating damage to public infrastructure and utilities. The Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) was established as a temporary state agency to coordinate the state’s 2008 disaster recovery efforts and identify ways to leave Iowa safer, stronger and better prepared for future disasters. This summer’s flooding reminds us that we must remain vigilant to ensure this charge is met. Immediately after the disasters, the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission incorporated input from thousands of Iowans to outline 12 overarching recommendations for long-term recovery, identifying everything from housing to case management to floodplain management and regional planning. The Iowa Legislature has taken steps to address every one of these recommendations, but work still remains, especially in reducing future flood risk. Comprehensive watershed and floodplain management and mitigation of flood risk must be a top priority for Iowa’s leaders. Unfortunately, many of these recommendations have been heard before. After the 1993 floods in Iowa, the Iowa Flood Disaster Report included the following among its recommendations: Iowa could benefit from an expanded, comprehensive, and fully integrated floodplain management program… The State of Iowa should review the floodplain management responsibility within the state and revise necessary laws to create a viable, effective program with adequate resources. These recommendations were not acted upon in the aftermath of the 1993 floods. Similarly, a White House committee issued its own set of federal recommendations which saw no serious consideration at the time. Since those state and federal reports were published, Iowa has received 13 presidential disaster declarations for flooding, and the state is projected to receive increased precipitation in the coming years. We cannot allow ourselves to once again forget the lessons we have learned. We must take action now to find solutions that will mitigate future flood damage to homes, farms, businesses, communities and our state. Remember, it’s not a matter of “if” the next disaster will strike, but “when.” Lieutenant General Ron Dardis Rebuild Iowa Office Executive Director Contact: Juli Probasco-Sowers, RIO Media Specialist (515) 242-5234 (o); (515) 249-1714 (c) [log in to unmask]; www.rio.iowa.gov - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/