Iowa Gov. Reynolds asks for financial assistance after flooding

Jun 23, 2023

Gov. Kim Reynolds has asked for financial assistance from the federal government for seven counties hit by severe floods along the Mississippi River in late April.

In a 19-page letter to President Joe Biden, Reynolds called for a major disaster declaration and detailed $6 million worth of damages to several city sewer systems and structures including roads, highways and bridges across the following counties: Allamakee, Clayton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee and Scott.

The potential record-breaking flooding was a result of rapid snowmelt from the north that's making its way into the Mississippi River, John Haase, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, previously told the Des Moines Register.

"(The river) just can't handle that rapid of a snowmelt when you've had that much snow that has occurred to the north," he said. "Twin Cities had anywhere from 90 to 100 inches (of snow), and that's like 40 to 50 inches above normal."

Haase explained that the high volume of snow that accumulated in the north quickly melted as the region began experiencing extreme heat. Temperatures reached between 80 and 90 degrees, sending the melting snow south down the river. Coupled with some heavier rain in eastern Iowa, Haase said, conditions were ripe for potentially record-breaking flooding.

Reynolds in the letter said she issued three separate disaster proclamations and offered financial assistance to help residents, particularly low-income families, in Allamakee and Muscatine counties.

Describing the flood's impact, Reynolds shared how the wastewater system in Lansing — a city in Allamakee — was damaged because the river rose to 12 feet and had "strong river currents." A submersible pump was "overwhelmed," as water seeped inside it, causing the pump to fail, she said. The city rented another pump to keep the system running.

Pressure from flood waters impaired the lift gate of a flood wall in Dubuque, she wrote. And in Davenport, as flood waters began receding, its sewer and sanitary system collapsed. Davenport's parks and streets were "overtopped" with flooding, causing public health and safety threats.

Apart from that, Reynolds shared the flood's impact on cities in the weeks after. She said businesses were forced to temporarily shut down, and outdoor activities were paused. There are also the mounting costs of emergency work and clean-up measures.

"A main source of revenue for Clayton County, and especially communities on the Mississippi River, is tourism," she wrote to the President. "Businesses were unable to open due to high water or when emergency protective measures were in place. For these small businesses, those few days, or even hours, where they were not open was of financial detriment to their business."

F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa. Breaking news reporter Francesca Block contributed to this report.