WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — This summer’s devastating flooding on the Missouri River caused an estimated $207 million in lost crop sales and related economic activity in six western Iowa counties bordering the river, according to a new study conducted by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF).

“This study shows the repercussions of the lost cropland and economic activity in these counties,” said Dave Miller, IFBF director of research and commodity services. “On a business level, farmers won’t be purchasing machines or inputs such as fertilizer for land. But there is also a household effect, with reduced expenditures in those counties.”

The flooding began in late June when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened up a series of dams in the Dakotas to release water caused by heavy snows and record rains.

“Farmers are finally seeing the floodwaters recede and assessing the damage, which includes severely damaged roads and the destruction of several hundred thousand acres of corn and soybean fields,” Miller added.

The study, released Oct. 3, focused on Fremont, Pottawattamie, Mills, Woodbury, Harrison and Monona counties, and analyzed the direct and indirect economic impacts from crop losses from flooded fields. The study also factored in the impact of lost wages, as the income of the lost crops won’t circulate in the western Iowa communities.

For the farmers in the six-county region, the flooding cost $46.1 million in net income, compared to pre-flood estimates, the study said. That total included losses on flooded acres that can’t be harvested, as well as yield losses from affected crops that were within a mile of the flooded area.

Fremont County suffered the highest losses, at an estimated $52.2 million, with $43.9 million in direct crop income loss and $8.3 million indirect losses from the damaged fields. Harrison County suffered $36.7 million in crop and other economic losses, and Monona County lost $32.3 million; Pottawattamie, $31.2 million; Mills, $22.2 million; and Woodbury; $14.7 million.

Teresa Miller, executive director of Monona County Economic Development Partnership for Growth (MCEDPG) in Onawa, said she had no reason to dispute the IFBF’s figures – and expects them to continue to climb.

“I am amazed at the variety of ways that this flood has caused such tremendous economic injury,” she said. “Our rural electric- and gas-providing companies have lost revenue directly related to the flood, and farmers have lost viable farm ground and crops.

“I read somewhere that the loss to a community of money spent by one farmer is the equivalent to the loss of seven households with $40,000 incomes. That is an incredible reminder of the importance of the local American farmer.”

What’s more, she said her community relies heavily on tourism and visitors, which have been impacted by the closure of Interstate 29, the Decatur Bridge, Blackbird Bend Casino, county parks and Lewis and Clark State Park.

“Two large community festivals were cancelled, resulting in economic losses that are hard to estimate,” she said. “Our interstate businesses were unable to capture the dollars that routinely travel up the I-29 corridor on any given day, as well as what would have been increased summer vacation and Sturgis traffic.”

Renea Anderson, executive director of the Harrison County Development Corp. (HCDC) in Logan, also agreed with the IFBF’s assessment, adding “Harrison County has only begun to see the effects of the flooding.

“The agricultural losses are staggering,” she said. “I have been in contact with our local Farm Bureau president, as well as others in the area. Flood recovery efforts are under way,” with some of the higher, flooded ground having been seeded to cover crops.

“The lower ground will take longer to dry out. The soil type is also a big factor with how soon recovery efforts can take place. Another factor is that due to harvest, some farmers with not as much crop ground have started removing debris and sand, but this is a very limited activity at this point.”

The study factored in the cost of seed, fertilizer and other inputs farmers had already invested in their 2011 corn and soybeans before the fields were damaged or wiped out by flooding. The study also accounted for potential crop insurance indemnity payments that farmers will receive for damaged crops, as well as payments from the USDA’s Supplemental Revenue Assistance payments (SURE) program, which provides financial assistance for crop production and/or quality losses due to a natural disaster.

Although the study measured losses of economic activity from lost crop sales, Dave Miller said it didn’t factor in losses to personal property or “the steep cost of rebuilding roads, levees and other infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the months of flooding.

“This is really just the tip of the iceberg on economic losses from the flooding,” he said. “But we hope this study will provide valuable information to help farmers, community leaders and lawmakers as they rebuild the region and push for policies to prevent or minimize flooding in the future.”