DES MOINES — As Mother Nature seems to be reminding us lately, this summer marks the 10th anniversary of the historic 2008 floods in Iowa. An interactive online story map from the Iowa DNR helps tell the tale of the devastation, as well as steps needed to prevent damage from future floods.
The Floods of 2008 – Insights from a Decade of Floodplain Stewardship starts with the basics of how and why floods occur, and takes users along the timeline of 2008 flood events, capping off with ongoing work to prevent damage from floods.
The 2008 floods caused more than $1 billion in damages, and 85 of Iowa’s 99 counties were declared disaster areas at the federal level. While flooding is natural and will always occur, Iowa’s history of frequent flooding shows how devastating it can be.
The interactive story map delves into the characteristics of a floodplain as well as the work done by the DNR and other agencies in the last 10 years to assist Iowans.
Explore the map at https://arcg.is/1rmffT.