Recovery has been slow and long in the year since the flood water receded. Numerous houses are being bulldozed and many residents are waiting for buyouts. Damage has been estimated over 1 Billion Dollars in Iowa, making it one of the worst disasters in the United States. Many businesses have reopened in the flood damaged areas, but many buildings have yet to reopen or be reoccupied. Some neighborhoods have turned into ghost towns with many of the residents having either moved away or waiting for buyouts to be able to move elsewhere. A new levee system in Cedar Rapids is being investigated, but this will likely not become reality for several more years. Down in Iowa City, The University of Iowa will rebuild Hancher Auditorium at another location away from the river (at a site yet to be determined). Many of the buildings on the University campus have been cleaned and have or will be reopened by this fall’s semester. There’s many more things that could be discussed, but the flood was such a large event. Here are some interesting items to look at.
Six Days in June From KCRG and the Gazette
Un-Natural Disasters Book by Terry Swails and Carolyn Wettstone (this blog did a book review and DVD review on this back in the fall) (This also discusses the Parkersburg Tornado)
Epic Surge The book compiled by the Cedar Rapids Gazetter
Epic Surge DVD the DVD compiled by KCRG
Iowa Flood
NWS Des Moines’ Flood Assessment
Wikipedia Article on Flood
So Many more