Iowa Disaster History

Summer 2020

On August 10, 2020, areas of Iowa were impacted by a derecho, with hurricane-force winds that leveled homes and businesses and left thousands of people without access to food, power, or internet service. The damage swaths from the derecho were massive, with winds topping 100 mph at several locations. Millions of acres of Iowa cropland were damaged or destroyed. Under this Presidential Disaster Declaration, FEMA Public Assistance funding was granted for 23 counties and individual Assistance was granted for 12 counties. Hazard mitigation funding was made available statewide.

Spring 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a statewide, multi-level, coordinated response. This Presidential Disaster Declaration made federal funding available to state and local governments, along with certain private nonprofit organizations, for work and services to save lives and protect property for all areas affected by COVID-19. The declaration also removed a $5 million cap on federal funds for pandemic response and made available the Community Disaster Loan program. 

Spring 2019

On March 23, 2019, Iowa received a Presidential Disaster Declaration for extensive flooding along the Missouri River and flooding and storm damage in other areas of the state for the period of March 12-June 15. Eighty counties were included in this declaration for Public Assistance Program funding, while Individual Assistance Program funding was made available in 10 counties. 

Summer 2018

Iowa has received two Presidential Disaster Declarations in 2018. The first was received on Aug. 20, 2018, for 30 counties, as a result of severe storms and flooding that occurred between June 6 and July 2, 2018. (Counties in the declaration were: Adair, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clay, Dallas, Delaware, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Hamilton, Hancock, Howard, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Polk, Sioux, Story, Warren, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, and Wright.)

The second was received Sept. 12, 2018, for four counties (Lee, Marion, Marshall, and Van Buren) for severe storms and tornadoes that occurred July 19, 2018.

Summer 2017

Iowa received a disaster declaration on Aug. 27, 2017, for severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding in nine counties (Allamakee, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Dubuque, Fayette, Mitchell, and Winneshiek) from July 19-23. At the time of the declaration, these counties were still recovering from their last declared disasters from 2016.

Summer/Fall 2016

Iowa received two disaster declarations in 2016, for severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding in eight counties (Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell and Winneshiek) from Aug. 23-27, 2016, and severe storms and flooding in 19 counties from Sept. 21-Oct. 3, 2016: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Des Moines, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Howard, Linn, Mitchell, Winneshiek, and Wright. Many of these counties were also hit hard by flooding in 2008.

Spring/Summer 2015

Iowa received one Presidential Disaster Declaration in 2015, on July 31, for damage incurred in 19 counties from June 20-25, 2015.

Spring/Summer 2014

Severe weather hammered the state hard during the month of June. Iowa received its first Presidential Disaster Declaration for 2014 on July 14 for nine counties due to severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding which occurred June 3-4 (DR-4181). Governor Branstad received word that his second request for a Presidential declaration was approved by President Obama on July 24 for 26 counties as a result of storms that occurred June 14-23.

On Aug. 5, President Obama approved Iowa’s third Presidential Disaster Declaration for 22 counties as a result of severe weather that occurred June 26-July 7. On Aug. 19, Crawford and Shelby counties were added to the declaration, bringing the number of counties covered by the declaration to 24.

Spring/Summer 2013

Iowa had four Presidential Disaster Declarations in 2013. On May 6, 2013, the state received its first declaration of the year for five counties as a result of a severe winter storm that hit northwest Iowa April 9-11, 2013. The second disaster declaration came on May 31, 2013, for 20 counties as a result of severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding which occurred April 17-30.

On July 2, 2013, the state received a third declaration for severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding which occurred May 19-June 14. A total of 47 counties were included in this declaration. Two counties, Howard and Worth, were added to the declaration on Aug. 8, making the total covered in the declaration 49 counties.

The fourth and final Presidential Disaster Declaration came on July 31, 2013, for severe storms, tornadoes and flooding which occurred June 21-28 in 10 counties. On Aug. 20, 2013, Audubon and Grundy counties were added to the declaration, bringing the total covered by the declaration to 12 counties.

Spring/Summer 2011

On April 9-10, 2011, severe storms, tornadoes and straight-line winds made their way across the state. Six counties received a Presidential Disaster Declaration as a result of these storms.

Beginning on May 25, 2011, sustained flooding in the Missouri River and its tributaries resulted in a Presidential Disaster Declaration affecting six counties. By the end of August, two more Presidential Disaster Declarations were made due to weather events in June and July, affecting eight additional counties.

20011-2020 Presidential Emergency Declarations

• 08/17/2020 -  DR-4557, Iowa Severe Storms (Derecho)
• 03/23/2020 -  DR-4483, Iowa Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
• 3/23/2019 -  DR-4421, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 9/12/2018 -  DR-4392, Severe Storms and Tornadoes
• 8/20/2018 -  DR-4386, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 8/27/2017 -  DR-4334, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 10/31/2016 - DR-4289, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 9/29/2016 -  DR-4281, Severe Storms, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 7/31/2015 -  DR-4234, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 8/5/2014 -  DR-4187, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 7/24/2014 -  DR-4184, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 7/14/2014 -  DR-4181, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line winds, and Flooding
• 7/31/2013 -  DR-4135, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
• 7/2/2013 -   DR-4126, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
• 5/31/2013 - DR-4119, Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding
• 5/6/2013 -  DR-4114, Severe Winter Storm
• 8/30/2011 -  DR-4018, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 8/24/2011 -  DR-4016, Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding
• 6/27/2011 -  DR-1998, Flooding
• 5/5/2011 -  DR-1977, Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Straight-Line Winds

*Date the disaster was declared, not necessarily the date it occurred. Click on the link for each disaster for additional information, including the date(s) of occurrence (“incident period”).

Summer 2010

Lake Delhi Dam breach, July 24, 2010.From June through August of 2010, severe storms, wind and flooding resulted in 63 counties receiving a Presidential Disaster Declaration. One of the most consequential events of the summer occurred on July 24, when the Lake Delhi (pronounced DEL-high) Dam in Delaware County was overtopped by the swollen Maquoketa River, causing the the earthen portion of the dam to erode and ultimately, the dam to fail.

Winter 2009-2010

The state experienced one of the snowiest winters on record beginning December 2009. By mid-February in Des Moines alone, a whopping 58 inches had already fallen for the season, according to the National Weather Service. Two disaster declarations were made during the winter season, one for severe winter storms and snow at the end of December 2009, and one for severe winter storms in late January 2010.

Spring/Summer 2008

Damage in Parkersburg after the EF5 tornado on May 25, 2008. On May 25, 2008, the town of Parkersburg and nearby communities were struck by tornadoes. A few days later, devastating floods began affecting much of the state. Eighty-five counties were included in a Presidential Disaster Declaration as a result of the tornadoes and flooding. Losses from these disasters are estimated to total between $8-10 billion, and more than 40,000 were affected.

The Year 2007

In 2007, Iowa had a record five disasters that received Presidential Emergency Declarations totaling more than $126 million in federal aid. It began with an ice storm in late February, followed by heavy snow a few days later in March, major spring flooding occurred in southwest Iowa in May, more flooding across the state occurred in August, and another ice storm in December finished off the year.

2001-2010 Presidential Emergency Declarations

•  7/29/2010 - DR-1930, Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes
• 7/27/2010 -  DR-1928, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 3/2/2010 -  DR-1880, Severe Winter Storms
• 2/25/2010 -  DR-1877, Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm
• 8/13/2009 - DR-1854, Severe Storm
• 5/27/2008 - DR-1763, Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
• 1/4/2008 - DR-1737, Severe Winter Storm
• 9/14/2007 - DR-1727, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 5/25/2007 - DR-1705, Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes
• 3/14/2007 - DR-1688, Severe Winter Storms
• 5/25/2004 - DR-1518, Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
• 6/19/2002 - DR-1420, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 5/2/2001 - DR-1367, Severe Storms and Flooding

*Date the disaster was declared, not necessarily the date it occurred. Click on the link for each disaster for additional information, including the date(s) of occurrence (“incident period”).

Summer 1993

Perhaps one of the most defining natural disaster incidents in Iowa history was flooding in 1993. Flooding resulted in 17 fatalities and more than $2 billion in damage. Over 10,000 people were evacuated from their homes and 21,000 homes were damaged, many destroyed. During the summer of 1993, it rained at some locations within the state each day for 130 consecutive days. Some areas of the state flooded more than five times. Agricultural yields dropped by 62 percent.

1991-2000 Presidential Emergency Declarations

• 7/22/1999 -  DR-1282, Severe Storms and Flooding
• 5/21/1999 -  DR-1277, Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes
• 7/2/1998 -  DR-1230, Severe Weather, Tornadoes and Flooding
• 11/20/1997 -  DR-1191, Severe Snow Storms
• 8/21/1996 -  DR-1133, Flooding
• 6/24/1996 -  DR-1121, Flooding
• 7/9/1993 -  DR-996, Flooding, Severe Storm
• 4/26/1993 -  DR-986, Flooding, Severe Storm
• 10/2/1992 -  DR-965, Flooding, Severe Storm
• 12/26/1991 -  DR-928, Ice Storm
• 7/12/1991 -  DR-911, Flooding, Severe Storm

*Date the disaster was declared, not necessarily the date it occurred. Click on the link for each disaster for additional information, including the date(s) of occurrence (“incident period”).

1981-1990 Presidential Emergency Declarations

• 9/6/1990 -  DR-879, Flooding, Severe Storm
• 5/26/1990 -  DR-868, Flooding, Severe Storm
• 7/28/1988 -  DR-814, Heavy Rain, High Winds, Tornadoes
• 7/17/1987 -  DR-795, Storms, Flash Flooding
• 6/27/1984 -  DR-715, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, Floods

*Date the disaster was declared, not necessarily the date it occurred. Click on the link for each disaster for additional information, including the date(s) of occurrence (“incident period”).