Statewide Floodplain Mapping

  • Iowa Statewide Floodplain Mapping

    IFC’s floodplain maps show the probability, extent, and depth of flooding for every Iowa stream draining more than one square mile

    Iowa Flood Information System

IFC Flood Maps Provide Information Iowans Need

Sponsor/grant agency:

Logos for USACE, FEMA, INHF, DNR

Team:

Nathan Young, Chris Kahle (IDNR), Dan Gilles, Tony Loeser, and Jesse Soukup

$15 million

Amount of leveraged funding

2010–16

Project Period

Iowa

All 99 Iowa counties

Partners:

Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Services provided by IFC:

The IFC developed floodplain maps show the 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.

“Many of our operations are in the floodplain of the Cedar and Wapsi Rivers, thus accurate real-time flood data is critical to managing the aggregate needs for east-central Iowa.” —John Tuthill, Wendling Quarries

Project Description:

In 2010, IFC researchers used laser radar (LiDAR) data provided by the IDNR that allowed them to precisely map Iowa’s river and stream network, develop computer-based flood simulations, and delineate floodplains with reasonable accuracy. The maps show the probability, extent, and depth of flooding for every Iowa stream draining more than one square mile.

Completed in 2016, these maps are a critical resource to help citizens, emergency managers, and other community decision-makers identify and communicate Iowa’s flood hazards. The maps also support informed decision-making on managing floodplain areas. Funding from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation allowed the team to also create maps for 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 200-year floods.