Comprehensive assessment of flood risk and community impact of concentrated animal feeding operations in Iowa

Abstract Flooding presents a significant risk to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), especially in regions increasingly affected by extreme weather events. This study uses advanced geospatial analysis techniques to assess the environmental and economic vulnerabilities of 12 703 CAFOs across Iowa, United States. We focused on the exposure of CAFOs to 100 year and 500 year floodplains, integrating floodplain maps with location data operational characteristics, and livestock types (cattle and swine) to assess flood risk. The analysis also considered the size and construction year of each CAFO, offering insights into how older and larger operations are disproportionately vulnerable. The results indicate that over 1.9 million animal units (13% of total), are located within the 100 year floodplain. In the 500 year flood floodplain, it increases to 2.05 million animal units, representing 14% of the state’s total. Sioux, Lyon, and Hancock counties were identified as having particularly high potential flood exposure, with over 16% of animal units in Sioux County located within the 100 year floodplain, increasing to 17% within the 500 year floodplain. The study shows that larger CAFOs, particularly those built before 2004, were often located in flood-prone areas and, if either a 100- or 500 year flood occurs, would potentially affect a larger number of animal units due to their operational scale. These risks not only threaten livestock but also have far-reaching economic consequences, including significant operational disruptions, infrastructure damage, and cascading effects on supply chains and market stability. As extreme weather events become more frequent due to climate change, these findings highlight the need for heightened awareness of CAFO vulnerabilities and call for further research into adaptive strategies to protect Iowa’s agricultural sector.