"River Rage: Why Iowa's Flood Risk Is Rising"

"Changes in Iowa's weather patterns, landscape, cities and farms have rendered some of the state's most trusted flood prevention safeguards outmoded and inadequate, a review by The Des Moines Register shows.

That includes the state's system of dams - including Saylorville upstream from Des Moines - which were designed to meet climate conditions and a lay of the land that some scientists say haven't existed for decades.

That leaves Iowans, their homes and their businesses increasingly at risk for the sort of devastating floods that ravaged the state in 1993, 2008 and again last year, causing damage in the billions of dollars."

Perry Beeman reports for the Des Moines Register January 2, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"Reducing Runoff Key to Flood Fight" (Des Moines Register)