How a Mississippi River City Balances System Upgrades With Neighborhood Relief
Located at the crossroads of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, Dubuque serves as a regional anchor for the tri-state economy. Keeping roads open and neighborhoods safe during heavy rain is essential to that role.
Mayor Brad Cavanagh is tackling two realities shared by many historic river cities: aging infrastructure built for a different climate and today’s short, intense “cloudburst” storms that overwhelm streets even when rivers stay within their banks.
The Bee Branch Program: System-Level flood protection
The city’s Bee Branch program anchors Dubuque’s flood resilience work. A key project now underway, Bee Branch Gates and Pumps, replaces mid-20th-century equipment so stormwater stored behind the floodwall can be moved into the Mississippi River more efficiently during heavy rainfall.
The project required sustained coordination across funding sources, including federal community project funding, economic development grants, state revolving loan funds, and local matches. When an environmental review pause emerged due to a historic industrial spill near the site, Dubuque’s strong relationship with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources helped resolve the issue quickly and keep the project moving.
A two-track approach: Systems and neighborhoods
While advancing major infrastructure upgrades, Dubuque is also delivering targeted neighborhood fixes where flooding shows up first. Improvements along corridors like Coffin Avenue and Locust/17th Street address repetitive flooding from today’s intense rain events.
This two-track approach provides visible relief for residents while strengthening the entire stormwater network.
Relationships that Move projects forward
Mayor Cavanagh emphasizes the value of building relationships before storms hit. Through partnerships with the East Central Intergovernmental Association, the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, the Iowa League of Cities, and AFC convenings, the city shares lessons and aligns priorities across agencies and jurisdictions.
Lessons for peer communities
- Sequence neighborhood fixes with system upgrades. Residents see progress while long-term protection advances.
- Build coalitions early. Trusted relationships accelerate reviews and unlock funding when timelines are tight.
- Keep plans visible. Sharing project lists and timelines builds public confidence and engagement.
AFC supports communities like Dubuque by helping identify funding opportunities, sharing best practices, and convening local leaders with state and federal partners.
“Relationships move projects when it matters most,” said Mayor Cavanagh.
