In June 2024, communities in northwest Iowa were devastated by floods after receiving more than 15 inches of rain in just a few days. In Spencer, it is estimated that up to 80% of the city’s 5,100 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Preceding the flood, much of the state had been in a prolonged drought—with more than $248M allocated in crop insurance payments from drought in 2023.

Iowa communities need to be prepared for the impacts of extreme weather. This presentation will feature the first-hand experiences of community leaders from Spencer who have been intimately involved in their community’s response, recovery, and preparedness efforts following this record-setting flood event. Lessons learned will be shared and experts from the Iowa Flood Center will join to discuss the tools, resources, and technical assistance it is providing Spencer that is available to other communities to help Iowans become more flood-resilient.