U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) led nine of her colleagues in requesting improved advanced communications be made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers so that local communities in flood zones might be better prepared for disasters.
“In our discussions with constituents impacted by the March flooding, a lack of communication from the Corps was one of the most common complaints,” wrote Sen. Ernst in a May 3 letter sent to Brig. Gen. D. Peter Helmlinger, the Corps’ commander of the Northwestern Division.
Among the members joining Sen. Ernst in signing the letter were U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and John Hoeven (R-ND).
The senators represent several states in the Missouri River Basin, where residents and business owners have “experienced severe flooding as a result of rapid snowmelt and intense rainstorms” that have caused roughly $3 billion in damages and the breach of some 60 levees, according to their letter.
“Local levee sponsors, homeowners, businesses, farmers, and other stakeholders believe that advanced warning from the Corps — in the form of more frequent and informational communications — could have mitigated some of the damages,” wrote Sen. Ernst and her colleagues. “By the time most people in harm’s way realized the gravity of the situation, it was too late to move grain, farm equipment, and other assets to safety.”
Sen. Ernst and the other senators requested the Corps start sending email updates to all local sponsors of Corps levees in the Missouri River Basin on a weekly basis beginning within 30 days of receiving their letter.
“We request that these updates be sent weekly throughout the duration of flood season (January through June),” the senators wrote, asking that the updates include a variety of information, including National Weather Service precipitation forecasts, available flood control storage, and flow rates in key tributaries, among other data.
“Our hope is that these updates will help provide local levee sponsors and other stakeholders with the information they need to prepare for potential flood events,” Sen. Ernst and her colleagues wrote.