Featured Projects

Iowa Watershed Approach

The Iowa Watershed Approach (IWA) is a vision for Iowa’s future that voluntarily engages stakeholders throughout the watershed to achieve common goals, while moving toward a more resilient state. It is a replicable model for other communities where the landscape has lost its natural resilience to floods. This program is not only about Iowans helping Iowans, but also about demonstrating Iowans’ commitment to agricultural stewardship, to the environment, to their neighbors, and to the future.
A Soap Creek watershed farm pond under a cloudy sky

Iowa Flood Information System

The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is an easy-to-use online source for up-to-date flood and precipitation information in Iowa, developed by the Iowa Flood Center.
IFC flood inundation map for an Iowa community showing Hazus data.

Statewide Floodplain Mapping

The IFC developed floodplain maps showing probability, extent, and depth of flooding for every Iowa stream draining more than one square mile. The maps are freely accessible through the Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS). Completed in 2016, the IFC's floodplain maps are a critical resource to help citizens, emergency managers, and other community decision-makers identify and communicate Iowa’s flood hazards.
LiDAR image of an Iowa landscape

Statewide Hydrologic Network

The Iowa Flood Center has deployed a hydrologic network to measure real-time conditions including rainfall, wind speed, soil moisture, and more in each of the eight rural watersheds involved in the Iowa Watershed Approach.
Assembling the IFC hydrologic network stations in the lab.

Community Flood Inundation Maps

The IFC develops community flood inundation maps for select Iowa river communities. The inundation maps provide information on the extent and depth of predicted floodwaters, helping communities respond quickly when flooding is imminent.
An IFC researcher in a kayak collects bathymetric data.

Stream-Stage Sensors

Iowa is home to more than 24,000 bridges. Thanks to Iowa Flood Center (IFC) stream-stage sensors attached to about 250 of those bridges, Iowans now know more about about potential flooding.
A stream-stage sensor keeps on working as floodwaters roil just inches beneath it.

Assessing the Value of Flood Mitigation Projects

The IFC's Iowa Flood Information System now includes data from HAZUS, which allows users to estimate the cost of damage to buildings under various flooding scenarios. Developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HAZUS models the effects of natural hazards such as flooding on structures in a given area, and then quantifies the total damage in dollars.
A flooded Cedar Rapids street with an inundated pickup truck in the foreground

Iowa Watersheds Project

In 2010, the Iowa Flood Center received $4.5 million from the HUD for this five-year project designed to mitigate flood risk in select Iowa watersheds: South Chequest Creek, Middle Raccoon River, Soap Creek, Turkey River, and Upper Cedar River.
Larry Weber and members of his team near an Iowa farm pond.

IFloodS

The IFloodS project brought together researchers from NASA, the Iowa Flood Center, and other institutions to deploy a number of scientific instruments across Northeast Iowa during the spring of 2013 to collect high-quality precipitation data.
IFC students assist in the deployment and set-up of a large NASA NPOL radar.

IFIS Voice Recognition AI

In 2017, Microsoft awarded Ibrahim Demir of the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) a grant as part of its “AI for Earth” program. Demir will use the award to develop “Flood AI,” an artificial intelligence system that serves as a virtual flood expert (similar to Siri). Flood AI is accessible through many smart devices, including smartphones, chat applications such as Skype, smart home appliances, and more. Users can ask Flood AI any flood- or weather-related question and get a quick answer, 24 hours a day.
Artificial intelligence network connection technology -- Bright turquoise colored dots are connected with flashes of turquoise light against a dark background.

A Vision for a Cooperative National Flood Institute

This proposed project would provide improved weather and water services for the public in cooperation with NOAA and the NWS. The IFC’s work would complement and enhance the services provided by the NWS.
Rescue personnel wade through floodwater on a Houston freeway to help stranded motorists.