DES MOINES –A devastating weather event, known as a derecho, struck Iowa on August 10, 2020. A line of severe storms extended more than 770 miles for 14 hours. Sustained winds lasted almost an hour over a large swath of Central and Eastern Iowa, causing catastrophic damage to structures, crops and trees.
Communities across Iowa were left with a trail of destruction after the storm. Over the past five years, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Iowa communities have worked towards rebuilding and recovering the tree canopy lost in the destructive storm.
DNR’s new “5 Years of Derecho Recovery” interactive map highlights the impact, response and recovery to the August 2020 midwest derecho across Central and Eastern Iowa. Easily browse through stories, maps and videos detailing the severe damage and how Iowa DNR and partnering organizations helped communities recover and replace lost trees.
Explore the interactive map at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ba98113395d34a03a1b8bd348418bf2c.