FEMADR-4281-IAMajor disasterDeclared September 29, 2016
DR-4281-IA: Iowa Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
FEMA made a major disaster declaration for Iowa (DR-4281-IA) on September 29, 2016 for the incident of August 23, 2016 to August 27, 2016; it covers 8 designated areas. FEMA had approved obligated $5.4 million in Public Assistance (as of May 17, 2026).
The declaration
- Declaration
- DR-4281-IA (also written FEMA-4281-DR)
- Type
- Major disaster declaration
- State
- Iowa
- Incident
- Flood: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
- Incident period
- August 23, 2016 to August 27, 2016
- Declared
- September 29, 2016
- Programs declared
- Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation
- FEMA region
- 7
- Place in the year
- the first of 2 major disaster declarations for Iowa in 2016
- Status
- closed out on April 13, 2022
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
Which areas are covered, and for what?
| Designated area | Individuals and Households | Public Assistance | Hazard Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allamakee (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Chickasaw (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Clayton (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Fayette (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Floyd (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Howard (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Mitchell (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Winneshiek (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
An area can be added to a declaration after the first day, or have a program added: this table is FEMA's current list.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
How much has FEMA approved?
$5.4 millionPublic Assistance obligated
$1.1 millionHazard Mitigation Grant Program obligated
Individual assistance figures as of n/a, public assistance as of May 17, 2026. FEMA updates both as applications are decided.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2); FEMA, OpenFEMA FEMA Web Disaster Summaries (v1). Data as of September 29, 2026.
FEMA's page for this declaration
FEMA's own page for this declaration is fema.gov/disaster/4281. AreaZine is not FEMA and cannot answer questions about an application.