Dealing with Flooding
The resources on this page and on the Human Sciences Extension and Outreach Finding Answers Now page provide information Iowans can use to plan before a flood situation, recover and clean up from flood water damage, and conserve water.
To find current conditions in Iowa, visit the DNR Current Disasters in Iowa website and follow flood and drought conditions in the state; find resources and assistance information. The national Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) provides additional resources for county extension offices on the Floods and Flooding webpage.
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.
Clean Up
- 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.
- Resources for Your Flooded Home — information to help you get your life back to normal after a flood. The guide was compiled by University of Missouri Extension
- First Steps to Flood Recovery — provided by the Extension Disaster Education Network
- 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)
- Molds
- 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)
- Resolving Mold Problems — (10/2010 webinar) presented by Kenneth Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension
- Questions? Call AnswerLine at 800-262-3804 or email
- Hiring Contractors After a Disaster — outlines what to look for in a reliable contractor and offers a worksheet for selecting and hiring contractors
- Creating a Healthy Home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes — tells how to clean up after flooding, but does not describe how to rebuild. By Enterprise Community Partners Inc. and the National Center for Healthy Housing, this guide is meant for do-it-yourselfers and contractors who need to clean up mold in flooded homes before starting to rebuild or renovate
- 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
- Flood Cleanup: Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems — discusses problems caused by microbial growth, as well as other potential effects of flooding, on long-term indoor air quality and the steps you can take to lessen these effects with emphasis on residential flood cleanup
- Restoring Flooded Buildings: A Homeowner’s Next Steps — (10/2011 webinar) presented by Kenneth Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension
- Recovery for Home Landscaping — (09/2011) outlines what to consider when beginning the process of recovering trees, shrubs, perennials, lawns and vegetable gardens
Crops
Iowa State University Resources, Fall 2016
- Wet Weather Creates Challenges for Harvest – Iowa State University, 9/25/2016
- Flood Damaged Crops, Crop Insurance Payments, and Lease Contracts – Iowa State University, 9/24/2016
- Combine Adjustment for Fall Harvest – Iowa State University, 9/21/2016
- How to Minimize Soil Compaction During Harvest – Iowa State University, 9/19/2016
- Management of Flood-Submerged Grain – Iowa State University, 2016
- Managing Flood Damaged Corn for Silage – Iowa State University, 2016
Additional Resources
- Flood Recovery Checklists for Farmsteads – North Dakota State University
- Managing Flood Damaged Crops – Penn State Extension
- Managing Flood Damaged Crops – University of Vermont
- Animal Health Risks From Feeding Flood-Damaged Forages – Penn State Extension
- Salvaging Crops after Flooding – North Dakota State University
- Salvaging Stored Wet Feed and Grain – North Dakota State University
- Corn Ear Rots, Storage Molds, Mycotoxins, and Animal Health – Iowa State University
- Crop Notes by Brian Lang – Iowa State University
- Proper construction of ponds by Allen Pattillo, Iowa State University
Health and Safety
- Garden Produce in Floods
- Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in Iowa
- When the Home Freezer Stops
- Storm Recovery Guide
- Questions? Call AnswerLine at 800-262-3804 or email answer@iastate.edu
- Water Conservation
Livestock
- Iowa Beef Center’s resources related to flooding and livestock production
- Dairy Team flood related resources
- Financial Assistance for livestock producers
Private Wells
- What Should I Do When My Well Floods — Iowa DNR
- State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa
Stress Management
Stress
- All About Stress — Stress: Taking Charge | Todo sobre el estrés — Estrés: Cómo tomar el contro
- Coping with Unemployment — Stress: Taking Charge | Cómo LIDIAR con el desempleo — Estrés: Cómo tomar el contro
- Using What You Have to Get What You Want — Stress: Taking Charge | Usa lo que tienes para alcanzar lo que quieres — Estrés: Cómo tomar el contro
- Helping Children Manage Stress — Stress: Taking Charge
- Strengthen your relationship in stressful times
- Show You Care By Listening
- Common Stresses for Parents of Teens — Stress: Taking Charge
- Managing Stress in Later Life Families — Stress: Taking Charge
- Managing Stress in Young Families — Stress: Taking Charge
- Managing Stress in Midlife Families — Stress: Taking Charge
- Controlling Stress | El control del estrés, University of Minnesota Extension
- The Power of Resilience: Coping, SDSU Extension
- Encouraging Family Communication after a Disaster—from University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Information for family caregivers—from eXtension.org
- Coping with Stress of Natural Disaster — from Mental Health America
- After a Natural Disaster: Coping with Loss—from University of Minnesota Extension
Before Flood Preparations
- Flood Safety Checklist — American Red Cross
- Sandbagging for Flood Protection – eXtension
- Flooding in Iowa – Resources for community floodplain education
One thing that could be mentioned is about turning off the gas and electric at some residences during a flood. I know some people may think that is a bad idea at first, however turning off the electric can prevent electrical shock for humans and animals. It can also prevent shorts to appliances or arcing. Shutting off the gas or propane can prevent gas escaping into the air as well. The diaphrams in some heating and cooling systems can breach when filling with water.