The National Weather Service plans to upgrade its river forecasting system across Iowa during 2000 to help people better prepare for flooding and droughts.After Iowa’s devastating floods of ’93, the weather service began testing what it calls “A-Haps” — the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. Project manager John Ingram says that system will be expanded next year from the current Des Moines River basin onto the Cedar River basin, and beyond.Ingram says the system uses a combination of sleek computers, satellites, radar and observation stations to keep a closer eye on waterways & to better pinpoint exactly how they’ll change, when, where & by how much. He says the goal is to keep residents and local government officials best prepared.In an average year, he says flooding and flash-flooding kills 130 people nationwide and causes three-point-five BILLION dollars damage. For more information, surf to: www.nws.noaa.gov
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