Power outages and flooding after the ice storm
January 22, 2010

The ice storm that sucker-punched much of Iowa on Wednesday continues to have lingering effects, not the least of which are power outages and the potential for some damaging flooding. The Polk County Emergency Management Agency has indicated that snowmelt (due to just-above-freezing temperatures) and ice melt are likely to cause at least some localized flooding, particularly in places where storm sewers become blocked by debris and ice. Anyone who's been outside has undoubtedly noticed the large amount of debris -- particularly tree branches and limbs -- that has fallen as a result of the ice, and that's going to contribute to the trouble of channeling snowmelt away from populated areas.

Product note: We offer a wide range of solutions for managing stormwater, and it's worth noting as well that we have solutions for keeping pump stations in service when the power goes out. Power outages like the ones currently affecting parts of Iowa usually are caused by thunderstorms and ice storms, which also create lots of additional flow for those pump stations to handle. Having an engine-driven backup at a pump station or a portable lift station for emergency service can make all the difference to keeping a municipal wastewater infrastructure working in times of weather trouble.

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last revised January 2010