A Watershed Year: Lessons Learned – Preparing for the Future
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
6:30-8:00 pm
Iowa State Historical Building
600 East Locust
Des Moines, Iowa
A Watershed Year is a superb example of a public university in action. Grounded in the best science yet also telling a compelling human story, this book brings to bear the perspectives and talents of many experts in the University and broader communities. It is a fascinating historical document, a substantial contribution to our knowledge about floods, and an invaluable tool for the future when the rivers rise again.Sally Mason, President of the University of Iowa
Thank you Co-sponsors!
- Conservation Districts of Iowa
- Iowa Association of Water Agencies
- Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club
- Iowa Conservation Education Coalition
- Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
- Iowa Department of Economic Development
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Iowa Environmental Council
- Iowa Insurance Division
- Iowa Flood Center
- Iowa Municipal Utility Association
- Iowa Native Plant Society
- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
- Iowa Office of Energy Independence
- Iowa Rivers Revival
- Iowa State University Extension
- Iowa Storm Water Education Program
- Iowa Water Center
- Iowa Whitewater Coalition
- Rebuild Iowa Office
- Trees Forever
- UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education
In June 2008, the rivers of eastern Iowa rose above their banks to create floods of epic proportions; their amazing size—flowing in places at a rate nearly double that of the previous record flood—and the rapidity of their rise ruined farmlands and displaced thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses.
A new book, A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008, brings together perspectives from physical and environmental scientists, hydrologists, economists, public policy experts, engineers and community managers on what happened, what we can learn from this devastating experience and how we can better prepare for flooding in the future.
The book which will be released in March 2010, is a compilation of twenty-five chapters written mostly by Iowans with perspectives on flood prediction, effects, response and recovery and future preparedness.
In anticipation of the release of the book, the UI Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER) is organizing a program to highlight the book’s publication and to focus attention on the challenges ahead as we better prepare for the floods of the future.
Here are the details:
Agenda
- Welcome
- Welcome – Jerry Schnoor, co-director, UI Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research and Chairman, Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council
- About the book - Connie Mutel – editor
- Trends in Iowa precipitation - Gene Takle, Director, Climate Change Initiative, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Professor of Agricultural Meteorology, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University
- Trends in Iowa water run-off – Richard Cruse, Professor of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Director, Iowa Water Center
- How is Iowa preparing for more Iowa floods?
- Iowa Flood Center – Witold Krajewski, Director, Iowa Flood Center, University of Iowa
- Cedar Falls Floodplain Initiative - Kamyar Enshayan, Cedar Falls City Council
- Rebuild Iowa Office state policy recommendations – Lieutenant General Ron Dardis, Executive Director, Rebuild Iowa Office
- Panel discussion with audience Q and A
- Refreshments and book signing
For more book details click http://uipress.uiowa.edu/books/2010-spring/mutel-water.htm
For more information about the meeting contact Joe Bolkcom at 319-353-2681 or joe-bolkcom@uiowa.edu.
