The Departments Floodplain and Dam Safety Section is responsible for administering the stateâs flood plain and dam construction permitting program. For construction along most of Iowaâs waterways, you are required to obtain a floodplain development permit. Permits are also generally required for dam construction.
Weâve broken down more information about the permitting process below. If you are ready to begin the screening and application process please go to our online screening and application tool, PERMT.
Floodplain Permitting Process
Our regulatory thresholds are outlined in 567 Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) Chapter 71. In general, the answer to this question revolves around the type of construction and location.
Weâve built a useful screening tool into our PERMT online system that allows you to select your project type and location to determine if you are required to submit an application, here are instructions:
- Your first steps will be to choose all proposed project types; select your location using either a point, line or shape; and finally clicking âGet Resultsâ button to determine if you should submit a Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application.
- If no Iowa DNR permit application submittal is required, PERMT allows you to receive documentation that your project does not require a DNR Flood Plain or Sovereign Lands Permit if you continue through the process of providing your information. PERMT will take you through the steps to log in (or create account for first time users), and fill out a Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application for this documentation. The accuracy of this determination is based entirely on the accuracy of your application.
- If a state permit application should be submitted, PERMT will automatically take you through the steps to log in (or create an account for first time users), fill out a Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application that will be submitted to the Iowa DNR Flood Plains and Iowa DNR Sovereign Lands.
- PERMT does not submit your Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application to county or city officials for local permitting, including local flood plain permitting. You are responsible for contacting local permitting officials and obtaining all required local permits prior to construction.
- PERMT does not submit your Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application to the US Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE), Rock Island or Omaha Districts. Permit applications to US ACE can use their Regulatory Request System (RRS) on line application system. You are responsible for submitting and obtaining any US ACE required permits prior to construction. ( US ACE Website). The Iowa DNR will send out one response for both the Iowa DNR Flood Plain and Sovereign Lands programs.
- PERMT is our new online tool that walks you through the steps to apply (we call this process filling out a âFlood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Applicationâ as this single process will send the application to two programs: DNR Flood Plain Permitting and DNR Sovereign Lands.
- Your first steps will be to choose all proposed project types by selecting your location for each using either a point, line or shape on the provided map; and finally clicking âGet Resultsâ button to determine if you should submit a Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application.
- If a state permit application should be submitted, PERMT will automatically take you through the steps to log in, fill out a Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application that will be submitted to the Iowa DNR Flood Plains and Iowa DNR Sovereign Lands.
- PERMT does not submit your Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application to county or city officials for local permitting, including local flood plain permitting. You are responsible for contacting local permitting officials and obtaining all required local permits prior to construction.
- PERMT does not submit your Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application to the US Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE), Rock Island or Omaha Districts. Permit applications to US ACE can use their Regulatory Request System (RRS) on line application system. You are responsible for submitting and obtaining any US ACE required permits prior to construction. ( US ACE Website).
- PERMT User Guide - You can also call 866-849â0321 during normal business hours to receive assistance using the online system.
Different project types require different information being submitted, more complex projects require a licensed engineer to provide plans, specifications and calculations. Some project types do not require an engineer.
Rules governing our criteria are in 567 IAC Chapter 72. See below for useful checklists that we encourage you to fill out and submit for these project types:
- Due to the large number of applications we receive, it can currently take up to 3 months to receive your response. 567 IAC Chapter 70.5(2) allows the department to expedite review of a particular application out of order if the completed application and supporting documents were submitted at the earliest practicable time and any of the following conditions exist:
- Relatively little staff review time (generally less than four hours) is required and delay will cause the applicant hardship;
- The applicant can demonstrate that a delay in the permit will result in substantial cost increase of a large project;
- Prompt review of the permit would result in earlier completion of a project that conveys a significant public benefit;
- The need for a permit is the result of an unforeseen emergency or catastrophic event; or
- A permit is needed to complete a project that will abate or prevent an imminent threat to the public health and welfare.
- To flag your application for consideration of OOO processing, you can select one of the questions at the end of the application and/or send an email with application tracking number and the specific need you have to asia.azam@dnr.iowa.gov.
- General Questions about the program, how to apply, or the PERMT website in general can be directed to floodplain-help@dnr.iowa.gov. You can also call 866-849â0321.
- Questions about dam construction, maintenance or inspections should be directed to Casey Welty, casey.welty@dnr.iowa.gov.
- Sovereign Lands Assistance: 515-330-6432
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District: Phone: 309-794â5057 or IowaRegulatory@usace.army.mil
- If you would like to report a potential floodplain permitting violation, please contact your local Field Office.
Regional Contacts
For answers to engineering related questions, you can contact the regional flood plain engineer in the area of your project:
- Region 1 (Northeast): Payam Aghsaee, payam.aghsaee@dnr.iowa.gov
- Region 2 (North central): Graham Young, graham.young@dnr.iowa.gov
- Region 3 (Northwest): Meesha Legg, meesha.legg@dnr.iowa.gov
- Region 4 (Southwest): Meesha Legg, meesha.legg@dnr.iowa.gov
- Region 5 (South Central): Andy Jensen, andy.jensen@dnr.iowa.gov
- Region 6 (Southeast): Graham Young, graham.young@dnr.iowa.go
Here is a list of other permits that are often also required for projects near floodplains:
- DNR Sovereign Lands (included in the PERMT Flood Plain & Sovereign Lands Permit Application)
- US Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE), Rock Island and Omaha Districts: 408 Permit, 404 Permit, and 401 Water Quality Certification. Permit applications to US ACE can use their Regulatory Request System (RRS) on line application system. ( US ACE Website)
- Local FP Permits: Any community (city and/or county) that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program requires application for a local floodplain permit for work completed in the mapped floodplain.
- NPDES/Stormwater
This list is not all inclusive and you are required to understand all the permits required for your construction project.