Rebuilding Hamburg: Life in southwest Iowa two years after the flood

HAMBURG, Iowa (FOX42KPTM) - Scrolling through his cell phone, Phil Kuhr looked back recently on a devastating flood that left Hamburg, Iowa in shambles.

"It was a real mess."

That was just two years ago. Stoner Drug where he works in the city's downtown got caught in the devastation.

"The water kept creeping up and creeping up creeping up."

It did so slowly and painfully.

"It wasn't a big rush of water. It was just like you were filling up your bathtub."

In 2021, the water is now long gone. Drive in from the north and you can see the changes from new windows to new awnings to new development, and that's just in the one part. For Kuhr, it means brighter days are ahead.

"Real confident."

Home construction is also a sign of progress. For the people in Hamburg, it's about being resilient.

"This is wonderful," said Steve Hansen. "We're trying to expand our community and keep our community alive and growing."

Hansen has called Hamburg home for more than a decade.

"We're continuing on and going forward. That's the way to do it."

He has a front row seat to two homes under construction.

"We want to see our town become prosperous for our citizens and for our children that are growing up."

The town's new levee system brings them hope that can happen. The town celebrated the groundbreaking just last month. The City of Hamburg and the Army Corps of Engineers signed a project agreement that allows it to be raised by eight feet. It comes almost ten years after the levee system had been raised but was forced to be lowered because of federal red tape.

"I think we're going to have a very safe levee and one that will hold the river back if we have any additional flooding down the road."

"This means everything," said Alan Dovel, Hamburg's Public Works Director.

Dovel is a native of the city. He says the new levee is a long time coming.

"I think this levee will help us build our future."

There's a possibility also of another project banking off of the new levee. There are talks of a new lake for fishing and other fun things to do. It's something Dovel hopes will convince people to come back to town.

"We want as many people to come back to Hamburg or even come to Hamburg and enjoy this nice, quiet life here we're trying to protect and maintain."

It's a welcome change from the whirlwind of the last two years.

"It was a blur. Everything seemed like it happened so fast," said Kuhr.

In addition to the home construction, there's also another major project planned for Hamburg. It will be a new hotel right next to City Hall. If all goes according to plan, the hotel would be two-story with 30 rooms.