Iowa farmers, families and local leaders make thousands of decisions every year based on the weather. While we can’t control when the next flood or drought hits, we can make sure Iowans have the information they need to better prepare for it.
What’s new: We secured $500,000 in federal funding to complete a flood and drought monitoring network covering all 21 counties in our community. ⬇️
What that means: The Iowa Flood Center will install a hydrostation in each of the 18 counties that still lack coverage, tracking rainfall, soil moisture, and water levels in real time. The project also launches the Iowa Drought Information System, a one-stop shop putting that data in the hands of farmers, first responders, and local leaders.
Why it matters: Earlier warnings give Iowa farmers more time to protect their crops, communities more time to prepare, and first responders better information when every minute matters.
The big picture: This monitoring network is one piece of a broader effort to give Iowa communities the tools to solve Iowa’s water challenges. We’ve advanced a state-led pilot to speed up water quality projects, secured watershed and conservation improvements in the House-passed farm bill, and are leading a bipartisan bill to help Iowa communities replace dangerous lead pipes.
Bottom Line: Iowa’s water challenges require more than a one-size-fits-all answer from Washington. We’ll keep fighting to give our local farmers and conservation leaders the resources they need to protect our water, strengthen our land, and put Iowa solutions into action.