Olivia Cohen

Five years ago, destructive prolonged wind gusts of up to 140 mph blew through Iowa, felling trees, flattening crops, ripping down power lines and tearing away building walls and roofs. It was the most costly thunderstorm in U.S. history. Derechos aren’t uncommon. What made this one so destructive? And how are derecho forecasts improving?

Government data, collected by the Iowa Environmental Council, shows some parts of Iowa are at higher risk of seeing wildfires — and they could see that risk increase in times of drought. What is the risk? And how can Iowans mitigate it?

NextEra representatives, during a meeting with nuclear regulators Thursday, said the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Palo, which closed in 2020, needs “a few major pieces of equipment” before it can restart, including cooling towers, the restoration of transmission lines, new offices, warehouse buildings and a new sewage treatment system.

During a summer that’s featured high-profile nitrate spikes in Iowa waterways and water use restrictions for thousands of central Iowans, hundreds of people gathered in Des Moines this week to listen to discussion about the findings of a comprehensive water study that was commissioned by Polk County.

In the first five years of Iowa City’s Root for Trees program, residents and businesses have purchased more than 1,600 trees — about 320 per year. The program opened applications for its sixth year this month.

Alliant Energy has said there are other potential locations being considered for a new power plant, but the company’s representatives declined to share those locations with the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission because disclosing the other sites could put the company in a “negative position from a cost perspective.”

Some beaches with higher bacteria levels have dropped between last week’s testing and Friday’s

The Iowa DNR had previously placed the alert through Friday due to thick smoke traveling south from Canadian wildfires

The Iowa DNR has placed an air quality alert for much of the state due to “moderate to heavy” smoke conditions. The alert will likely be lifted at midnight on Friday.

The water quality forum – which was hosted by the national nonprofit Food & Water Watch – comes on the heels of a spike in nitrate levels in Iowa’s waterways

Agri Star Meat and Poultry and NEW Co-op have both agreed to pay $50,000 settlements for water contamination violations

In one year, the program, which works in partnership with the Johnson County Master Gardeners, has increased the number of participants can join the free program

The Eastern Iowa Airport Commission says proposed site could jeopardize future runway, seeks alternative location and public meeting.

Warnings about bacteria in the water are posted at 13 Iowa beaches this week. Water samples from Backbone State Park in Delaware County, in particular, show exceptionally high E. coli levels.

Significant rainfall this month has continued to deplete drought conditions across Iowa. On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported nearly 96 percent of the state is without any drought or abnormally dry conditions.