Luther College professors and students share their findings about flooding

Luther College professors and students are sharing their findings about flooding and encouraging community conversation in Freeport during a community meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at Freeport Park.

Representatives from Luther College will talk about their research on the 2016 Upper Iowa River flood and Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development will be on hand to discuss their watershed plan to enhance flood resilience. Residents will also have opportunities to share ideas and engage in discussion about ways to prepare for future floods.

A team of Luther College professors and students recently completed a series of interviews with members of the Freeport community affected by the Upper Iowa River flood of 2016. The team also conducted a survey of households throughout the Upper Iowa River Watershed to assess the impact and damage of the 2016 flood event. The meeting on Tuesday will share findings of these interviews and survey results, as well as facilitate conversation among community members about the implications of the research.

“One of our biggest takeaways from this research were the impacts – emotional, social and economic – that flooding has on our community beyond the flood event itself. We hope this work contributes to ongoing conversations about how to make our communities more resilient to flooding,” says Rachel Brummel, assistant professor of environmental studies and political science.

In addition, a representative from Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development will introduce the proposed watershed plan for the Upper Iowa River and discuss projects in the watershed designed to reduce the scale of future floods.

The meeting is intended to facilitate a conversation among Freeport community members on how to create a community that is resilient to future flooding. Food and drinks will be provided. Everyone is invited to attend.