- Jun 2, 2000
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Here's a link to an article originating in the Washington Post:
How Natural Is This Diaster?
The points made in the article:
-over 90% of Iowa's floodplains were eliminated before the current flood
-increase in the practice of installing drainage tiles in farm fields causes runoff to enter streams and waterways quicker, less time to soak into/pool on land (some fields tiled so as to prevent pooling, make more farmable)
-recent cahnges in farming practices, more corn, less fallow fields, probably contributed to flooding
-In the 1980's and 1990's Iowa led the nation in flood damage consistently.
Much has been made of this flood exceeding 500 year limits. If this article is correct, it is not a 500 year flood we are dealing with but ineffective land regulation that is not complied with.
So next time you get angry when your local town board won't allow a supermarket to go in because of floodplains, or won't allow you to develop part of your yard, think of Iowa. These regulations that may seem onerous on their face actually have real value.
How Natural Is This Diaster?
The points made in the article:
-over 90% of Iowa's floodplains were eliminated before the current flood
-increase in the practice of installing drainage tiles in farm fields causes runoff to enter streams and waterways quicker, less time to soak into/pool on land (some fields tiled so as to prevent pooling, make more farmable)
-recent cahnges in farming practices, more corn, less fallow fields, probably contributed to flooding
-In the 1980's and 1990's Iowa led the nation in flood damage consistently.
Much has been made of this flood exceeding 500 year limits. If this article is correct, it is not a 500 year flood we are dealing with but ineffective land regulation that is not complied with.
So next time you get angry when your local town board won't allow a supermarket to go in because of floodplains, or won't allow you to develop part of your yard, think of Iowa. These regulations that may seem onerous on their face actually have real value.