(Undated) -- Last year's derecho in Iowa damaged or destroyed seven million rural and urban trees. A new state report finds the result was a 20-million dollar loss in urban tree canopy benefits. The storm impacted 27-counties along Highway 30. It's considered the most destructive thunderstorm in U-S history.
The DNR found that Iowa communities had nearly 4.5 million trees damaged or destroyed. Rural areas had nearly 2.7 million trees damaged or destroyed by the storm.
The peak winds from the storm August 10th, 2020 ranged from 60 mph to 120 mph. The strongest wind speeds were recorded in the Cedar Rapids area, which had extensive tree damage.
Analysts found that the derecho damaged nearly 33-thousand acres of urban tree canopy in Iowa. Assuming an urban canopy of 34,300,000 trees statewide, a total damaged estimate of more than 4.4 million trees is nearly 13-percent of the total tree canopy.
To see the urban report click HERE
To see the rural report click HERE.