Event Details

What: Quad Cities Flood Resiliency Alliance Meeting

Who Should Attend: City/county/village leaders and administrators; emergency management personnel; floodplain managers; public works personnel; local and state-level elected officials; residents and property owners in the region. Anyone with general interest.

Where: Riverdale City Hall Community Room, 110 Manor Drive, Riverdale, Iowa

When: 3:00 p.m., Thursday, February 20, 2025

Admission: Free

Contact: Kathy Wine, River Action | kwine@riveraction.org | (563) 322-2969

Meeting Agenda

“Collaborative Flood Resilience: Community-Driven Solutions to Flood Challenges”

Presentation by Kate Giannini, Program Manager, Iowa Flood Center

Q&A session following the presentation.

Kate Giannini Bio: Kate Giannini coordinates outreach, communication, and research activities for the Iowa Flood Center at IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Iowa. She serves as a vital link between IIHR researchers, and external stakeholders, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.

With nearly two decades of experience in conservation and natural resource management, Kate is deeply committed to protecting and restoring our environment—from agricultural landscapes to urban ecosystems. Her expertise lies in watershed management, water quality protection, flood mitigation, and habitat restoration.

Beyond technical work, Kate has led and facilitated partnerships across public agencies, NGOs, and private entities to drive meaningful conservation efforts. She believes that through collaboration, we can create resilient ecosystems and sustainable solutions for the future.

About the Iowa Flood Center: The Iowa Flood Center is part of the University of Iowa College of Engineering and is the nation’s only academic research center devoted solely to flooding. The IFC develops innovative tools and reliable information that decision-makers, emergency responders, community leaders, home and business owners, educators, and the public depend on to help them understand and reduce their flood risks and make better flood-related decisions.

The center’s work is accessible to everyone through the online Iowa Flood Information System which communicates real-time information about stream levels, flood alerts and forecasts, and hydrologic conditions for the entire state.

“Building Resilience through CRS”

Presentation by Eli Goldstein, Account Executive, Forerunner

Eli Goldstein Bio: Forerunner works with over 130 communities across the country helping them stay compliant with the NFIP, gain credit in the CRS, and respond in case of a disaster.

Eli has been working at the company for a little over a year, and during that time he has worked with numerous communities to help them use the software, as well as getting his CFM. A graduate of Northwestern University, Eli is passionate about helping communities be more resilient to flooding, especially given he grew up in Mamaroneck, NY just outside a coastal flood zone.

About the Quad Cities Flood Resiliency Alliance

The Quad Cities Flood Resiliency Alliance was launched at River Action’s 2018 Upper Mississippi River Conference. The alliance provides a platform for sharing flood prevention and mitigation strategies across communities in Iowa and Illinois.

Members collaborate on:

• Flood damage mitigation and floodplain restoration
• Community Rating System (CRS) education and enrollment
• Training and certification for floodplain managers
• Pre-disaster communication and resource-sharing

The alliance covers parts of Scott, Clinton, Muscatine, and Louisa counties in Iowa, as well as Rock Island, Whiteside, Mercer, and Henry counties in Illinois. Currently, only three Quad Cities communities (Moline, Davenport, Rock Island County) participate in the CRS, earning flood insurance discounts.