A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008 by Cornelia F. Mutel is a great place to start.
From an earlier interview with Ms. Mutel
In the
course of working on this book, you did an enormous amount of research into the
causes of floods. What surprised you most?
The disjunct between what we know and what we do. A Watershed Year clearly indicates that we understand our weather
and flooding with increasing sophistication, and we know what to do to prevent
flood damage: change land use and floodplain policies, increase perennial plant
cover on uplands, increase water infiltration, decrease impermeable surfaces in
cities, etc. We need to look at long-term changes over the entire floodplain
and plan for major as well as minor flood events. Yet policies and actions are
too often based on short-term interests and ignore the greater long-term good
for the greater number of people. This needs to change.
How toxic were the floodwaters? Can we safely
farm and garden and picnic in areas that were flooded?
We have an entire chapter discussing the many pollutants picked up by
floodwaters—ranging from farm chemicals (e.g., pesticides, fertilizers, animal
waste and all its bacteria and hormones) to complex urban chemicals, including
industrial and residential chemical contaminants and the overflow from
wastewater treatment plants. Tests of 2008 floodwaters indicated that the total
amount of these contaminants was very large. The effect of this “chemical
cocktail” of contaminants was worrisome for both humans and wildlife who came
in contact with floodwaters. However, these contaminants would have been
diluted by the tremendous volume of floodwater. Ongoing tests do not indicate
any harmful accumulation of toxics in Cedar Rapids soil. Thus people can
consider it safe to garden, farm, and picnic in previously flooded areas.
Were there any positive results from the
flooding?
John Pearson’s chapter on nature’s response points out that floods have
always been part of our landscape and that flooding is positive for floodplain
ecosystems. Native floodplain species are adapted to the disruption caused by
floods, and some even require periodic flooding for successful reproduction. Floods
are considered destructive because we put ourselves and our structures in the
wrong places at the wrong times.
On another level, data on climate indicate that midwestern
weather is intensifying and becoming more extreme. The result is likely to be
more extreme floods. The 2008 floods can serve as our wake-up call, prompting
us to take steps that will reduce future flood damage. If we act appropriately,
we could have a far better response to the future flooding that is sure to
come—and that would indeed be a positive result.
Tell us more
about the Iowa Flood Center.
This is an exciting new center at the University of Iowa. The
IFC is the nation’s first academic research and training center devoted solely
to flood research. It is a unique resource for Iowans and already has a number
of products available on its website. For example, anyone can access current
stream-level data from the IFC’s statewide network of 50 stream sensors. The
web-based “Iowa Flood Information System” allows Iowans to view maps of
watersheds upstream from their communities and overlay other data on these
maps, such as current precipitation, river stage data, and water travel times
throughout the watershed. This is an example of a powerful new tool that will
help Iowans better understand flood risk and prepare for imminent floods. I’d
encourage readers to look up their community and bookmark the website (
www.iowafloodcenter.org).
A Watershed
Year will appeal to a wide range of general readers. What can the average
citizen of Iowa and the Corn Belt do to help prevent floods?
Each of us can take steps in our own manner. Some people may work to reduce
runoff, for example, by increasing soil health and water infiltration on our
own property or by installing a rain garden or native plantings. Some may put
pressure on public officials to revise flood policies or to prevent new
construction in floodplains. Some may work to restore wetlands and uplands so
they absorb and hold water more effectively. While only a few of us can address
future flooding through our professions, all of us can continue to raise
awareness of the potential damage of future floods. I do believe that if
each one of us took a few small steps to address future flooding, the results
would be tremendous.
City planners, engineers, and policy
makers will be particularly interested in this book. What’s the main message
that A Watershed Year conveys to
these specialists?
Don’t try to return to business as usual. By doing so, we return to an
unacceptable vulnerability to future extreme floods, which are not only likely
to continue but also (according to climate change predictions) likely to
increase. Treat the 1993 and 2008 flooding as wake-up calls. Section 4 of A Watershed Year gives many recommendations
for preventing or reducing the magnitude of future flood damage. The time to
act on these recommendations is now.
—Cornelia F. Mutel, editor, A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008
