skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Focus of IA Flood Prevention Shifts to Funding Debate

play audio
Play

Wednesday, March 3, 2021   

DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa has taken steps to prevent floods following historic disasters in recent decades. At the center of these efforts are local coordinators, working to keep jurisdictions on the same page. Now, a proposal is being offered to better fund these positions.

As lawmakers craft the next state budget, they're being asked to include grants for full-time coordinators in areas known as Watershed Management Authorities. Cody Smith, a policy associate with the Center for Rural Affairs, said these are the people who work most closely with local stakeholders to develop the best flood-prevention strategies for the area.

"They're out every day," he said, "communicating with farmers and landowners about, 'OK, how do we put in a conservation practice?' Or, 'What flood mitigation practice would be best suited for your land?'"

The job also involves overseeing planning meetings with local and county agencies, but Smith said the funding is unstable for these positions, resulting in high turnover that hampers progress. The proposal is a trio of three-year grants, totaling $300,000 each. The chairman of a key legislative committee has said it's unclear whether there's enough funding, but new revenue projections are expected soon.

Rodd Marlatt, who chairs the Turkey River Watershed Management Authority in northeastern Iowa, said they've made great strides in reducing the flood threat there. But statewide, he said, districts need that consistent go-between to replicate any success. Marlatt said he wants to shift from planning to more action.

"We know how to do this now. We know which practices are most effective," he said. "And I guess, from this point forward, the state needs to look at that and remember why they did what they did."

After the severe flood of 2008, Iowa leveraged funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create what's now called the Iowa Watershed Approach. Around that same time, the Watershed Management Authorities were created. Now, there are 26 of them across the state.

Disclosure: Center for Rural Affairs contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Environment, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Rural/Farming. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021