Anyone from Iowa lurking here?
>
> I'm puzzled by the flooding in Iowa.
>
> I grew up in Huntington, West Virginia, which was extensively flooded
> in the late 1930's (Ohio River).
>
> So they built a flood wall, which is still in use today.
>
> In fact I note that one flood gate is in place today because the Ohio
> River is up to 28' but, due to the flood walls, flood stage is 50', so
> there's not a worry at all.
>
> Why, after all the flooding that regularly occurs in Iowa, haven't
> they built such a system?
Ever been in Iowa? It's pretty flat. If you squeeze water in here, it pops out over there, or backs upstream and floods there. ...or in this case pops out everywhere at once. Levees in the Midwest are really part of the problem. Areas up river of St. Louis seem to flood every year.