Courtesy of the Center for Dubuque History, Loras College
Aftermath of the July 4, 1876, flood that destroyed Rockdale, Iowa, killing 42 people.
An analysis of rainfall patterns in Iowa, revealed in a 2014 White House National Climate Assessment report, showed a significant increase in the number of days with heavy rainfall, despite no increase in total annual precipitation. This was before heavy rainfall across the state and Midwest in 2019 but already showing cities across Iowa sustaining multi-million dollar losses from floods over the past two decades.
This U.S. Geological Survey map has up-to-date information on flooding across the country. The map showed multiple spots for flooding in the Midwest in June 2019.
We’ve revived and updated a news quiz about Iowa’s flooding history because of its pertinence in summer 2019. Do you know some of the history and facts behind flooding in Iowa?