Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation Monday, July 6, 2026 for Polk County in response to flooding and severe weather beginning Friday, July 3 and continuing.

The proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents of Polk County. The grant program provides up to $7,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food and temporary housing expenses not covered by insurance or other grant programs. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. Applications must be completed within 45 days of the Governor’s proclamation.

Residents seeking to apply for the grant program or Disaster Case Advocacy can do so by following the instructions on the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management website at Individual Disaster Assistance Programs | Homeland Security and Emergency Management

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If your home or property sustained damage from the recent flooding, the City encourages you to complete the Polk County Emergency Management Citizen Damage Self-Reporter form.

Report your damage here: Citizen Damage Reporter

Citizen damage reports are used to document the overall impact of the flooding and support state and federal disaster assistance requests. Submitting a report does not directly qualify you for disaster assistance. Residents should continue working through their insurance process and document all damages with photographs. If disaster assistance becomes available, more information will be shared on that process.

Every report submitted helps provide a more complete picture of the flooding's impact on our community and supports disaster recovery efforts.

Polk County Recent Disasters Info Page can be found here: Recent Disaster And Emergency Information - Polk County Iowa

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Update 7/7/26

Storm Tree Debris Curbside Pickup to take place on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 8:00am

The City of Elkhart has arranged for a one-time curbside pickup of tree and woody storm debris this Thursday, July 9, beginning at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. Polk County crews will make one pass only through the community. There will be no makeup day or follow-up pickups, so please have all debris placed at the curb before 8:00 a.m. Thursday. This is for properties within Elkhart city limits.

To help the cleanup go smoothly:

-Tree limbs and woody debris may be any length and do not need to be cut into small pieces.

-Place debris neatly at the curb, but keep it at least 4 feet away from mailboxes, fire hydrants, utility poles, utility boxes, and other above-ground utilities.

-Do not place household trash, construction materials, furniture, recycling, or other non-tree debris with the pile. Only tree and woody storm debris will be collected.

Please note that heavy equipment will be used during the cleanup. While crews will remove the large debris, some small twigs or wood chips may remain. Any debris placed at the curb after Thursday's collection will be the responsibility of the property owner.

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Update 7/28/26

The Mayor and City Council appreciate the information shared by residents whose homes were recently damaged in a record storm event.  In the coming weeks, the City will release a public statement that summarizes the July 3^rd storm that impacted Elkhart and the City’s plan for the future. This information will be shared on the City's social media pages and distributed by email to residents who are enrolled in our Auto Pay email notification system. We appreciate the patience, resilience, and support our community has shown throughout the recovery process. Thank you to our residents and volunteers who have worked together to help Elkhart recover.

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8/28/26

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City of Elkhart Response to the July 2026 Flood Event

On July 3and July 4, 2026, the City of Elkhart experienced an exceptionally rare and severe rainfall event. A slow-moving thunderstorm repeatedly passed over the area, producing approximately 12.60 inches of rainfall within approximately 24hours in Elkhart, according to the National Weather Service. The rainfall caused flash flooding throughout Elkhart, basement flooding, road closures, and the closure of Interstate 35 between Ankeny and Elkhart. This amount exceeded NOAA Atlas 14 estimates for a 24-hour, 1,000-year rainfall event in central Iowa. A “1,000-year event” does not mean that a storm of this size occurs only once every 1,000 years. Rather, it means the event has an estimated 0.1 percent chance of occurring in any given year. This rainfall event was an extraordinary natural event that could not have been anticipated or prevented by reasonable human foresight or care. The rainfall saturated the ground and significantly increased stormwater runoff throughout the community. Storm sewers, culverts, drainageways, and retention facilities reached capacity, allowing excess water to flow into streets, parks, and yards. Municipal sewer systems are not designed to fully convey storms of this magnitude because doing so would require infrastructure far larger than is practical or economically feasible. Instead, systems are designed to manage more common storms while reducing the impacts of larger events through retention ponds and overland flow routes. Based on the available meteorological and engineering information, the July 3–4 storm was an extraordinary natural weather event that exceeded the level of protection that can be achieved through conventional sewer infrastructure.

Following the significant flooding experienced in 2018, the City Council identified stormwater management and inflow and infiltration (I&I) as two of the community’s highest infrastructure priorities within the City’s capital improvement plan. Although stormwater and sanitary sewer are separate systems, they are closely connected when rainwater or groundwater enters the sanitary sewer through I&I. Inflow occurs when rainwater or surface water enters the sanitary sewer system quickly through direct connections or other openings, while some infiltration may occur when groundwater enters more gradually through unknown subterranean cracks, joints, or other defects that may exist in older portions of the system. Based on the rapid rise in the main lift station’s water level during significant rain events, there appears to be inflow within the system. It is believed a large portion of the suspected inflow is from the west side of town. This is more than likely due to the age and condition of the underground infrastructure. In general, inflow is difficult to track and pinpoint due to wide variety of possible connections into the sanitary sewer system. To address these issues, the City developed a multi-phase stormwater improvement strategy focused on reducing flood risk, improving water quality, addressing known drainage concerns, and preparing for future growth. Completed in 2022, Phase I converted the former wastewater treatment lagoons into stormwater retention ponds. New storm sewer infrastructure now directs runoff from approximately 147 acres into the ponds. The ponds temporarily store stormwater and release it at a controlled rate, reducing peak flows and flooding during routine and moderate storms. During the July 2026 flooding event, the city’s stormwater retention ponds performed as designed by storing a substantial amount of runoff. Additionally, in 2024, the City completed improvements to the Main Lift Station by installing larger-capacity submersible pumps, replacing wet well piping, upgrading electrical and control systems, and increasing the size of the standby generator. These improvements increased system reliability and prepared the community for continued residential growth.

The City continues implementing its long-term sewer improvement strategy in stages as fast as permitted by city finances. In 2026, a new Capital Improvements Plan was approved which includes a sanitary sewer system rehabilitation project in FY2028 to reduce/eliminate infiltration and inflow (I&I). Addressing I&I will provide for additional sewer capacity, prevent emergency repairs, prevent further structural degradation, and prevent basement backups. In 2026, the City selected Bolton & Menk Engineering to complete engineering for Phases II and III of the Stormwater Improvements Project, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027, subject to funding and approvals. Phase II will install stormsewer infrastructure along North Grant Avenue and behind Elm Street, directing additional runoff toward the Prairie Pointe Park retention ponds and reducingflooding west of the newer residential development. Phase III will install additional storm sewer improvements west of Grant Avenue along portions of ElmStreet and Maple Street, improving stormwater conveyance and reducing localized flooding during more typical storm events. The project will also provide anopportunity to investigate potential sources of inflow and infiltration within the project areas of Phases II and III.

Although the July 2026 storm exceeded the capacity of conventional sewer infrastructure, the City's completed improvements reduced downstream flooding impacts and functioned as intended. The City remains committed to completing future sewer improvements and strengthening Elkhart's resilience to future storm events.

See Rain tables here: https://www.weather.gov/dmx/July_2_4_2026_Flash_Flooding

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