Dealing with Flooding
Floods are one of the most common, and most costly, natural disasters. Preparing for flood situations can minimize injury to yourself and your family and speed the recovery process. These resources will help you prepare and recover from flooding situations.
- All-Hazards Booklet — From the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, this 100 page booklet was developed as a resource for citizens of rural agricultural communities. The booklets’ four sections contain an overview of a particular hazard and several informational handouts in a check list format to help guide individuals in preparing for a particular hazard before it occurs, during the event, and recovering from the situation.
- Flood Information — North Dakota State University Extension resources for before, during, and after flooding.
- Inundaciones: sugerencias útiles — Resources from South Dakota State University.
FARM
- Wells — Good Wells for Safe Water, Shock Chlorinating Small Water Systems, and Sampling Your Drinking Water
- Crops — Integrated Crop Management News - crop updates
- Farm Management — Farm Financial Planning (website) and Farm Financial Planning publication (PDF)
- Livestock — Iowa Beef Center resources
BUSINESS
The Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) at Iowa State University can help Iowa businesses plan, prepare and protect their operations.
CIRAS has valuable resources that can help you with many flooding-related tasks, including:
- Making plans when you know water is coming
- Planning for maintaining your business continuity in the wake of some kind of disaster
- Taking the proper precautions in dealing with flooded computers and paper documents
HOTLINES
- Iowa Concern Hotline: 800-447-1985
Help and referrals for dealing with stress, crisis and loss in times of disaster. - Teenline — 800-443-8336 Available all hours, all days. Personal and health-related information and referral.
WEATHER MAPS AND REPORTS
- Disaster Designation Information - USDA Farm Service Agency
- National Weather Service - precipitation maps
CLEAN UP AFTER FLOODING
- Storm Recovery Guide — information on safety and household cleanup after tornadoes, floods and other disasters. This guide was created by LSU AgCenter and edited by Iowa State University Extension experts for use in Iowa.
- First Steps to Flood Recovery — provided by the Extension Disaster Education Network
- What Should I Do When My Well Floods? — Iowa DNR
- U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans — SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and most private nonprofit organizations. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace the following items damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets.
- Making Choices About Cleaning Wet Carpet — Disaster Recovery Series (Iowa State University Extension)
- Inspect Flood-Damaged Appliances — Disaster Recovery Series (Iowa State University Extension)
- A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home — provides information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth; from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Resources for Flood Cleanup and Indoor Air Quality — EPA
- Questions? Call AnswerLine at 800-262-3804 or email answer@iastate.edu
REPAIR ISSUES
- Hiring Contractors After a Disaster — outlines what to look for in a reliable contractor and offers a worksheet for selecting and hiring contractors
- Repairing Your Flooded Home — gives step-by-step advice for clean up, rebuilding and getting help after a flood; by the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Assessing, Repairing and Rebuilding Basements — a series of ISU Extension publications available to download in PDF format