Thanks to the leadership and foresight of the Iowa Legislature, Iowans have access to reliable tools and resources through the collaborative efforts of the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) and Iowa Geological Survey (IGS) to enhance decision-making for floods, droughts, and groundwater challenges that impact our state.

IFC and IGS students, staff, and researchers will host their annual legislative breakfast reception on Tuesday, March 10 from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Iowa State Capitol Building in the first-floor rotunda. Legislators and partners are invited to attend a light breakfast and visit with experts about innovative projects providing a direct benefit to help Iowans understand and address water resource concerns, including:

• New funding to expand flood monitoring equipment and advance flash flood forecasting capabilities for Northwest Iowa following devastating flooding in June 2024.

• Expanding the state’s network of hydrologic weather stations to 53 locations to improve flood and drought monitoring and forecasting, working towards a goal of one station in every county.

• Developing the Iowa Flood Information System online web application that communicates real-time information about stream levels, flood alerts and forecasts, and hydrologic conditions for the entire state.

• New groundwater resource assessment and planning efforts led by IGS through legislative funding support.

• IGS progress update on mapping 900 miles of levees to assess their condition and ensure they remain strong during flood events.

Please join us!