Iowa drainage district takes I-DOT to court over levee construction responsibility
As hundreds of acres and interstate were flooded, a Pottawattamie County drainage district says it could have been prevented if only their levee was higher
As hundreds of acres and interstate were flooded, a Pottawattamie County drainage district says it could have been prevented if only their levee was higher
As hundreds of acres and interstate were flooded, a Pottawattamie County drainage district says it could have been prevented if only their levee was higher
KETV Investigates continues to push to get answers for the families and farms impacted by continuous flooding.
Some Iowa levees were breached and might need a hole dug in them to drain water from hundreds of acres of farmland.
The Honey Creek and Pigeon drainage districts say the levees are not high enough. It's a court battle brewing with the Iowa Department of Transportation over who should cover the cost to build them higher.
Flooded farmland is a familiarity in lowlands near the Missouri River.
2024 is no different. Hundreds of acres of Dale Rief's bean crop is ruined.
"Well, we're back to the same thing. Frustrating," Rief said.
He and Frank Moran are both farmers and trustees for the Pigeon Drainage District.
They say their levee isn't high enough. Water breached it and flooded their district and interstates 29 and 680.
"It's what's came in over the levees that we're going to have a hard time getting rid of," Moran said.
They want the levee raised and say I-DOT needs to open its pocketbook because it would protect the interstate from flooding and there's not enough farmers in the area to cover the cost.
A judge will decide if I-DOT has to pay.
"Pay their fair share," Moran said.
Moran says they could raise the levee to 33 feet today if it was paid for. That would have been enough for the flood not to breach the levee, sparing their farmland and the interstate.
Related coverage: Iowa DOT explains why flooded Iowa interstates are not built differently
"It's those two drainage districts that would potentially keep the water off 29 and 680," Moran said.
Tuesday, Rief and Moran took us on a trek to the levee. As thunder rolled in and the rain poured down, they say the Pigeon Drainage District is considering digging a hole in the levee so the floodwater can return to the river.
Otherwise, it would take months for the water to clear.
"And it will take all summer long and then some," Moran said.
Both men are invested in keeping floods managed and feel like Army Corps of Engineer regulations and I-DOT are holding them back.
"We're the people out here; that's what's frustrating to me. Rather than have somebody tell you, you gotta do it this way. We're the ones out here then there's some Iowa DOT people that will come right out here. It's the boots on the ground that will get it done," Rief said.
READ MORE: Levee failure in Northwest Iowa causes life-threatening flash flooding
We've reached out to Iowa DOT Tuesday and have not heard back yet.