ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE | CHAPTER 3
The natural areas and corridors in the Cedar Falls planning area primarily are associ- ated with river valleys and drainages. The most important areas are:
• Cedar River floodplain and its valley slopes. The floodplain supports large natural areas that allow species such as Red-shouldered Hawk to find adequate resources to persist. The valley slopes above the floodplain are also important, with moderate qual- ity natural communities, rare species, and continuous semi-natural vegetation.
• Dry Run Creek – West, Southwest, East Branches. Large areas of natural and semi- natural vegetation and planted prairies create large habitat blocks in a developing ur- ban area. The creek between Hudson Road and Main Street supports moderate and high quality natural vegetation.
• Black Hawk Creek. A large, high quality natural area associated with Black Hawk Creek occurs in the City’s southeast corner.
• Dry Run Creek – University Branch. A large area of good quality natural vegetation and semi-natural vegetation is found west of the University of Northern Iowa campus.
• East Greenhill Road and Main Street. Areas of high and good quality natural vegeta- tion exist south of Greenhill Road and east of Main Street.
• Cedar Prairie Trail. An area of high quality natural vegetation adjacent to semi-natu- ral vegetation exists between the Fogdall RV and John Deere facilities, between East Ridgeway Avenue and Highway 20.
FLOODPLAINS
Cedar Falls is a river town that owes its existence to the Cedar River. However, as with many river towns, Cedar Falls is no stranger to the power and destructive force of flood waters. This was most recently demonstrated in the June 2008 floods that affected much of the city.
A significant portion of the City’s northcentral and northeast portions lie within the 100-year and 500-year floodplains, as do areas on tributaries of Dry Run Creek and Black Hawk Creek (Figure 3.3). Most of the City’s environmentally sensitive lands and rare species are in floodplains (Figures 3.2 and 3.3). While Cedar Falls has planned for floods since its incorporation, the floods of 2008 highlighted the need for more ag- gressive and proactive planning—including participating in the Cedar River Water- shed Coalition—in order to reduce loss of life and property from floods.
In late 2009, the Cedar Falls City Council passed a new Floodway Fringe Ordinance No. 2700, § 6, and associated actions, which enact new provisions that will ensure:
• No new structure in 500-year floodplain unless it meets new standards;
• Damaged structures can be rebuilt under pre-January 1, 2010 standards if damage is less than 50 percent of value, or structure must be rebuilt to new standards if damage is greater than 50 percent of value; and
• Inhabitable space must be 1 foot above the 500-year floodplain elevation.
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