Consumer Information Energy Telecommunications
Elizabeth S. Jacobs
Chair
Darrell Hanson
Board Member
Swati A. Dandekar
Board Member

Prior to the critical start of the 2012 spring runoff season, and on the heels of historic 2011 flooding along the Missouri River, five levee breaches from Council Bluffs south to just below the Missouri state line, have been restored by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Between Levee Units 575 near Percival and Hamburg, and 550 near Watson and Rockport, Missouri, 2.7 million cubic yards of material were placed in 86 days, with contractors working around the clock to complete final repairs on Levee Unit 575.

Late last fall, members of the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) toured the Missouri River flood damaged areas near Hamburg with the State Interagency Missouri River Authority (SIMRA), local farmers, and representatives from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Army Corps of Engineers. The group saw first-hand where historic spring and summer flooding breached levees south and west of Hamburg, creating large devastation areas impacting local residents, businesses, utilities and farm owners, with the path of flood waters severely damaging  homes, valuable farm land, grain structures and the environment. Photos of flood damage in these areas were documented by IUB Customer Service and Communications Manager Don Tormey.

SIMRA is a policy group of five state agencies (including the IUB) and the Governor's office that promotes Iowa's many interests in the management of the Missouri River. The IUB’s role is to collaborate on SIMRA issues and represent the IUB at the group’s meetings. Amy Christensen of the IUB regularly communicates with utilities regarding SIMRA topics. To be added to this e-mail list, contact her at: Amy.Christensen@iub.iowa.gov.

The IUB is part of the Missouri River Flood Recovery Coordination Task Force. Formed by Governor Branstad, and led by the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD), this task force coordinates Iowa's Missouri River flood recovery efforts The IUB coordinates the utility work group and contributes to the levee group and larger tasks. Kerri Johannsen is the lead IUB staff on the Governor’s task force and utility work group. She may be contacted at: Kerri.Johannsen@iub.iowa.gov. On overlapping issues, IUB staff is coordinating between SIMRA, the Governor’s task force, and the task force work groups.    

Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Levee break SW of Hamburg
Flooded farmland SW of Hamburg
Flooded farmland SW of Hamburg
Flooded farmland SW of Hamburg
Flooded farmland SW of Hamburg
Farm damage SW of Hamburg
Farm damage SW of Hamburg
Damaged silos SW of Hamburg
Damaged silos SW of Hamburg
Damaged silos SW of Hamburg
Damaged silos SW of Hamburg
Damaged silos SW of Hamburg
Damaged silos SW of Hamburg
Abandoned farmhouse
Abandoned farmhouse
Hwy 333 flood repair
Hwy 333 flood repair
Flood damaged Hwy 333
Flood damaged Hwy 333
Levee near Hambur
Levee near Hamburg
L575 Levee break near Hamburg
L575 Levee break near Hamburg
near Hamburg
L575 Levee break near Hamburg
Flooded farmland North of Hambur
Flooded farmland North of Hamburg
L575 levee breach
L575 levee breach
SIMRA group
SIMRA group
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
Flooded farm North of Hamburg
SIMRA group at flooded farm
SIMRA group at flooded farm
SIMRA group at L575 levee break
SIMRA group at L575 levee break
SIMRA group at L575 levee break
SIMRA group at L575 levee break
Dead fish at L575 levee break
Dead fish at L575 levee break
Scour hole near Percival
Scour hole near Percival
SIMRA group at scour hole near Perciva
SIMRA group at scour hole near Percival

Flooded farmland near Percival
Flooded farmland near Percival
Flooded farmland near Percival

Giant scour hole near Percival

Flooded farmland near Percival

Flooded farmland and debris near Hamburg

Washed out road North of Hamburg

Washed out road North of Hamburg
Downed utility poles North of Hamburg
Downed utility poles North of Hamburg
Flooded business on Hwy 2
Flooded business on Hwy 2
Closed for business
Closed for business
on Hwy 2
Flood-damaged home near Bartlett
Flood-damaged home near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Exterior damage to Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Exterior damage to Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Interior damage to Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Interior damage to Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett
Wilds Resort near Bartlett