Iowa 2008 Summer Storms After-Action Report, April 27, 2009

In the summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of severe storms that produced tornadoes and heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding. The Summer Storms1 lasted from late May through mid-August, with the most intense storms occurring over a month-long period from May 25 to June 25. The Summer Storms exacted a major human and economic toll on Iowa, resulting in 18 fatalities and 106 injuries, forcing the evacuation of approximately 38,000 Iowans, and impacting 21,000 housing units. Iowa’s public and private sectors suffered significant monetary damages. Eighty-six of the ninety-nine counties in the state were included in the Governor’s disaster declarations.

Executive Order Number Twenty-Five, August 6, 2010

July 24, 2010, the breach of the Lake Delhi dam caused flash floods and massive damage to persons and businesses and public infrastructure in Delaware and Jones counties and surrounding areas, including Jackson County, resulting in gubernatorial declarations of emergency and applications for federal disaster assistance for these areas.

Iowa 2088 Summer Storms After-Action Report Final, April 27, 2009

In the summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of severe storms that produced tornadoes and heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding. The Summer Storms1 lasted from late May through mid-August, with the most intense storms occurring over a month-long period from May 25 to June 25. The Summer Storms exacted a major human and economic toll on Iowa, resulting in 18 fatalities and 106 injuries, forcing the evacuation of approximately 38,000 Iowans, and impacting 21,000 housing units. Iowa’s public and private sectors suffered significant monetary damages. Eighty-six of the ninety-nine counties in the state were included in the Governor’s disaster declarations. Presidential disaster declarations made residents in 84 counties eligible for Public Assistance and 78 counties for Individual Assistance. The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission estimated $798.3 million in damages to publicly owned buildings and infrastructure, including damages of $53 million to public transportation and $342 million to public utilities. The 2008 Summer Storms presented unique coordination challenges for the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). These challenges arose from three interrelated factors: the large number of local jurisdictions and areas impacted, the prolonged period of time that response operations were conducted, and the increasing complexity of overall response operations. These events caused the SEOC to coordinate response, mitigation, recovery, and preparedness operations simultaneously. HSEMD and the SEOC implemented a variety of measures to enhance their ability to coordinate operations and assistance to localities. The SEOC expanded its organizational structure, implemented innovative techniques, and incorporated new partners into its activities. These steps enabled HSEMD and SEOC to coordinate operations more effectively, which undoubtedly helped save lives and property, while mitigating the effects of the 2008 Summer Storms.

Investigation into Shrinkage of High-Performance Concrete Used for Iowa Bridge Decks and Overlays, TR-633, 2013

High-performance concrete (HPC) overlays have been used increasingly as an effective and economical method for bridge decks in Iowa and other states. However, due to its high cementitious material content, HPC often displays high shrinkage cracking potential. This study investigated the shrinkage behavior and cracking potential of the HPC overlay mixes commonly used in Iowa. In the study, 11 HPC overlay mixes were studied. These mixes consisted of three types of cements (Type I, I/II, and IP) and various supplementary cementitious materials (Class C fly ash, slag and metakaolin). Limestone with two different gradations was used as coarse aggregates in 10 mixes and quartzite was used in one mix. Chemical shrinkage of pastes, free drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage of mortar and concrete, and restrained ring shrinkage of concrete were monitored over time. Mechanical properties (such as elastic modulus and compressive and splitting tensile strength) of these concrete mixes were measured at different ages. Creep coefficients of these concrete mixes were estimated using the RILEM B3 and NCHRP Report 496 models. Cracking potential of the concrete mixes was assessed based on both ASTM C 1581 and simple stress-to-strength ratio methods. The results indicate that among the 11 mixes studied, three mixes (4, 5, and 6) cracked at the age of 15, 11, and 17 days, respectively. Autogenous shrinkage of the HPC mixes ranges from 150 to 250 microstrain and free dying shrinkage of the concrete ranges from 700 to 1,200 microstrain at 56 days. Different concrete materials (cementitious type and admixtures) and mix proportions (cementitious material content) affect concrete shrinkage in different ways. Not all mixes having a high shrinkage value cracked first. The stresses in the concrete are associated primarily with the concrete shrinkage, elastic modulus, tensile strength, and creep. However, a good relationship is found between cementitious material content and total (autogenous and free drying) shrinkage of concrete.

Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Local Officials, 2012

The purpose of the Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Local Officials is to provide you with information regarding this system. Inside, you will learn about local and state emergency management and homeland security; the phases of homeland security and emergency management; hazards that affect the state; comprehensive planning requirements; emergency declarations; available state and federal assistance; and other important topics that will help you become more versed in homeland security and emergency management in Iowa.

Iowa 2008 Summer Storms After Action Report, April 27, 2009

In the summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of severe storms that produced tornadoes and heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding. The Summer Storms1 lasted from late May through mid-August, with the most intense storms occurring over a month-long period from May 25 to June 25. The Summer Storms exacted a major human and economic toll on Iowa, resulting in 18 fatalities and 106 injuries, forcing the evacuation of approximately 38,000 Iowans, and impacting 21,000 housing units. Iowa’s public and private sectors suffered significant monetary damages. Eighty-six of the ninety-nine counties in the state were included in the Governor’s disaster declarations. Presidential disaster declarations made residents in 84 counties eligible for Public Assistance and 78 counties for Individual Assistance. The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission estimated $798.3 million in damages to publicly owned buildings and infrastructure, including damages of $53 million to public transportation and $342 million to public utilities.

2012 Community Tree Management Plan, Alburnett, IA, June 24, 2013

This plan was developed to assist Alburnett with the management, budgeting and future planning of their urban forest. Across the state, forestry budgets continue to decrease with more and more of that money spent on tree removal. With the anticipated arrival of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive pest that kills native ash trees, it is time to prepare for the increased costs of tree removal and replacement planting. With proper planning and management of the current canopy in Alburnett, these costs can be extended over years and public safety issues from dead and dying ash trees mitigated. Trees are an important component of Alburnett’s infrastructure and one of the greatest assets to the community. The benefits of trees are immense. Trees provide the community with improved air quality, stormwater runoff interception, energy conservation, lower traffic speeds, increased property values, reduced crime, improved mental health and create a desirable place to live, to name just a few benefits. It is essential that these benefits be maintained for the people of Alburnett and future generations through good urban forestry management. Good urban forestry management involves setting goals and developing management strategies to achieve these goals. An essential part of developing management strategies is a comprehensive public tree inventory. The inventory supplies information that will be used for maintenance, removal schedules, tree planting and budgeting. Basing actions on this information will help meet Alburnett’s urban forestry goals.

2012 Community Tree Management Plan, Avoca, IA, May 2, 2013

This plan was developed to assist Avoca with the management, budgeting and future planning of their urban forest. Across the state, forestry budgets continue to decrease with more and more of that money spent on tree removal. With the anticipated arrival of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive pest that kills native ash trees, it is time to prepare for the increased costs of tree removal and replacement planting. With proper planning and management of the current canopy in Avoca, these costs can be extended over years and public safety issues from dead and dying ash trees mitigated. Trees are an important component of Avoca’s infrastructure and one of the greatest assets to the community. The benefits of trees are immense. Trees provide the community with improved air quality, stormwater runoff interception, energy conservation, lower traffic speeds, increased property values, reduced crime, improved mental health and create a desirable place to live, to name just a few benefits. It is essential that these benefits be maintained for the people of Avoca and future generations through good urban forestry management. Good urban forestry management involves setting goals and developing management strategies to achieve these goals. An essential part of developing management strategies is a comprehensive public tree inventory. The inventory supplies information that will be used for maintenance, removal schedules, tree planting and budgeting. Basing actions on this information will help meet Avoca’s urban forestry goals.

2012 Community Tree Management Plan, Belle Plaine, IA, June 24, 2013

This plan was developed to assist Belle Plaine with the management, budgeting and future planning of their urban forest. Across the state, forestry budgets continue to decrease with more and more of that money spent on tree removal. With the anticipated arrival of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive pest that kills native ash trees, it is time to prepare for the increased costs of tree removal and replacement planting. With proper planning and management of the current canopy in Belle Plaine, these costs can be extended over years and public safety issues from dead and dying ash trees mitigated. Trees are an important component of Belle Plaine’s infrastructure and one of the greatest assets to the community. The benefits of trees are immense. Trees provide the community with improved air quality, stormwater runoff interception, energy conservation, lower traffic speeds, increased property values, reduced crime, improved mental health and create a desirable place to live, to name just a few benefits. It is essential that these benefits be maintained for the people of Belle Plaine and future generations through good urban forestry management. Good urban forestry management involves setting goals and developing management strategies to achieve these goals. An essential part of developing management strategies is a comprehensive public tree inventory. The inventory supplies information that will be used for maintenance, removal schedules, tree planting and budgeting. Basing actions on this information will help meet Belle Plaine’s urban forestry goals.

Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Local Officials, 2015

The purpose of the Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Local Officials is to provide you with information regarding this system. Inside, you will learn about local and state emergency management and homeland security; the phases of homeland security and emergency management; hazards that affect the state; comprehensive planning requirements; emergency declarations; available state and federal assistance; and other important topics that will help you become more versed in homeland security and emergency management in Iowa.

Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Local Officials, 2015

the purpose of the Introduction to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Local Officials is to provide information regarding the system. You will learn about local and state emergency management; hazards that affect the state; comprehensive planning requirements; emergency declarations; available state and federal assistance and other important topics that will help you become more versed in homeland security and emergency management in Iowa.